All Values Are Hollow
by Xantospoc
Summary: Two parallel stories of characters who struggle with the world around as the Winter Wars and Aizen's plans unfold. Reality will clash against their dreams. Read And Review
1. Rebirth

**ALL VALUES ARE HOLLOW**

**Rebirth

* * *

**

_Nekoru…_

_Mei…_

_Yes, I suppose that's my name. _

_I am… I think… 89? Yes, I suppose so._

_Nekoru Mei…nice name!_

_My __memories__are becoming more and more __fragmented__as the time passes. _

_I am a…what am I…? __A…a butler is it?_

_Yes, a butler!_

_I am a butler…_

_I remember now…I am a butler! A butler __for__ the …Kagamori? No. Kanagori…yes, __the__Kanagori family… Urghh. What a horrible headache… It's as though I can't remember anything!_

_I…used to babysit… No, I mean, I babysit the Kanagori children._

_The Kanagori family is rich. __A__ noble family and their children are the heir… And I am assigned to look after them._

_Those children…they are pests. How many drawings __did__ they shove __back__in __my__ face because they were not good enough? But how could I tell my little masters off? I couldn't… so I had to learn._

_The __children's__ parents hired another butler…I am __too__old…it's nice! He helps me. I think he's mute, __though__…he's never __spoken__to me. Those children…they grew up! THEY are not children anymore, but I __still feel obligated__to look after them._

_I have to look after them…I HAVE TO LOOK AFTER THEM!_ _I HAVE TO!_ _HAVE TO! HAVE TO! HAVE TO! HAVE TO!_ _I HAVE TO…!_

"Enough!"

Nekoru Mei, the old butler of the Kanagori family, turned puzzled and confused, at the source of the sound.

Before him there was a tall man, possibly around six feet. He was wearing a Shihakushō, and he was wielding a _katana_ that Nekoru estimated was around five feet in length.

"What's the matter?" Nekoru asked. "I am doing my job, sir!"

"Job?" the swordsmanasked, confused. He bent his head down and muttered something that Nekoru could not quite make out, save for two words. "...realized...yet!"

The butler was intelligent enough to comprehend what this strange man meant, even if he didn't fully understand what was going on.

"What...have I not realized yet?" he askednervously.

The man sighed. He decided that the only way to break the news to Nekoru was to simply break it to him bluntly**.**

"Sir, you are dead."

Nekoru stood motionless. Surely this could not be. It was a long moment before he overcame the initial shock. Finally, he came to his senses. His eye began to twitch.

"E-excuse me?" he said, bewildered by the news.

"You died a long time ago...at least two years I would say," the stranger explained.

Nekoru's eyes widened. He could not say anything...he just couldn't _believe_ it, at least not yet, and that was the worst part. However, it made sense. Recently, the Kanagori family hadn't been talking to him.

_Of course..._ he thought. _That was why I felt livelier recently. I died, no body to hinder me._

He now noticed the chain anchored to his chest. Still, he could not believe it. He tried to punch the bearer of such grim news, who casually dodged the hit. Nekoru's arm phased through the wall. It was then that he was convinced. His worst fears were true: he was indeed dead.

"You have died, and you are becoming bound to this world – the swordsman explained with a stoic expression, not bothered by the old butler lashing out -I am a _Shinigami _I have come from Soul Society with orders to perform soul burials on wandering souls like you, and send them to the afterlife. Please, sir, come with me!"

Nekoru snarled as a predator looking at his new prey. He was usually one who did not get bother by others, but he was starting to hate that 'Shinigami'. He had even thought about ripping him apart with his bare hands for a second, but paid no attention at such a truculent

"NO! - He screamed as an inexplicable anger overtook him -I can't! I have a family to protect!"

"Please, sir! I have other businesses... there is a hollow which..." the other man pleaded.

"Do you want a fight?" Nekoru snarled. "Be careful, though - I'm trained to best serve the Kanagori family..."

The Shinigamisighed and put his hand inside his _shihakusho_. Nekoru noticed the action and thought he was drawing another weapon. Instead what the _Shinigami _pulled out was an innocuous mirror which he handed to the butler.

The old butler peered into it and saw his reflection. He let out a yelp of utter surprise and trepidation. The reflection that stared back at him was barely human. In fact, he could not believe it was him. His human, aged eyes had been replaced with black eyes with golden irises. His body was wrinkled, and he bared sharp teeth.

"What's...what's this...? _What's this?" _he gasped in horror.

"Sir, you are becoming a hollow... a monster with soon no personality," the Shinigamiexplained. "You will become a being of anger and fear...you are in an intermediate state!"

"So, have I become a monster?" the elderly butler asked, interrupting the Shinigami.

"No, not yet! But you will, and soon, if we don't do something. Your fixation on obeying your family is slowly eroding both your soul and the chain of your fate. You will become a creature who will try to kill anyone, including the ones you love," the Shinigami told him, hoping he could use this argument to win him over.

"It…it won't happen. I'll be careful!" Nekoru stuttered in a timid.

"You have not noticed you died, therefore, you won't notice when you turn into a hollow," the Shinigami said grimly.

Nekoru sighed. The Shinigami was right.

"Do it for the family you adore!" the other man pleaded.

With this, Nekoru was now completely convinced.

"For the family I adore..." he muttered bowing down his head, ready to accept his fate.

The _Shinigami _smiled. "Thank you for understanding. Hope to see you in Soul Society, sir. My name is Ishiro Furemuki! Remember me and...sayonara, sir..." he said as he tapped the hilt of his sword to the soul's head.

Nekoru Mei cracked a smile to Ishiro as he slowly faded away from the human world that bound him to go the Soul Society.

* * *

Nekoru Mei looked around. He was in a large world, a large village. There were many people and houses around and, most importantly, a large building at the centre. Nekoru quickly deduced that it was there where the authority (or authorities) of such a place lived. He began to roam around the strange place with no idea of where he was going or any actual other clue. His sight nearly seemed blurry. He was seeing some glimpses of this world, but barely managed to get a firm description of it.

"Ehi, you!" a different voice said.

He turned, as his sight finally cleared out and he could spot and recognize his interlocutor. This time it was a female of average height with short purple hair and dark skin. Her outfit was again black, just like the Shinigami he had met before, except she wore a white haori. Behind her was another woman, who was a relatively short and petite with gray eyes and soft looking shoulder length black hair and in black robes. She seemed quite attached to the other woman, as she was standing very close to her, a spectacle which to a butler as disciplined as Nekoru was slightly unsettling

Nekoru blinked as his stare returned to the purple-haired woman. _She's very oddly colored. I heard of black skinned people, yet I have seen nothing like her before. Where on earth have I ended up?_ He wondered.

"Yes!" he politely responded, hinting a bow with his head.

"Are you new here, right?" she asked with her arms crossed under her chest.

Nekoru pointed at himself and she nodded.

"Uh... yes?" he said.

"Well, it explains your ruffled hair and tattered clothes!" the woman remarked with a laugh.

Nekoru blushed, but then a certain word made him blink in disbelief. He had hair? "Are you serious?" He touched his head and sure enough he could feel soft tresses.

He looked up at the woman who nodded and handed him a mirror.

He looked at the reflection amazed. "That...that is not me...that _can't_ be me! I mean, he is...but...well, I used to be like him!" He touched his face. The wrinkles etched into his skin were gone and his cheeks felt smooth. His now young looking hand trailed and felt his now newly toned yet lanky neck and then his face, finally free from the sign of the old age, staring with insistence at his now big and bright green eyes, a bit hidden by the ruffled and unkempt hair which touched his shoulder. He was stupefied; he looked just as he did in his teenage years.

"I...can't... I was bald!" he exclaimed in utter puzzlement. He could not believe that he….. Formerly a man whose appearance had faded into a wrinkled and decaying image under the inevitable passage of time, had returned to be all of sudden his youthful self. Especially as few seconds ago he had seen … that monster as his reflection … For a second, he wondered which kind of horrifying creature could be a fully matured hollow… how that other Shinigami had called them? Oh yes…

Hollow… about these 'hollow', Nekoru had practically no clue, as he had for the first time heard about them a few minutes ago, but only the mention of the name, coupled with that image, was sending shivers down his back. And yet, he now was the youth of a former time. Only the insistent stare of the two young women had allowed him to snap back to reality so soon or otherwise he would have contemplated his new appearance until he would have become old again.

"Oh, I see... Well, apparently the purification cleaned you up during the Soul Society!" the purple haired woman replied, a bit surprised by such a rare, but not unheard, event. Newly reincarnated soul never ceased to amuse her with their antics and dissonant behavior. The younger girl, instead, had gotten slightly annoyed by Nekoru's overreaction and had started looking around, alert and ready to protect her mistress from any possible threat. The relatively long silence was finally broken by the rejuvenated soul

"You are...another _Shinigami_, right?" Nekoru asked, prompting the woman to nod again.

"Yoruichi Shinhoin!" she responded, introducing herself, extending a hand towards him.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am!" he replied, staring in confusion at the hand and replying with a bow.

"Aww, don't be so formal! What is your name?" she asked, drawing back the extended hand and laying her palm on her forehead at the excessive politeness of the reincarnated soul.

"Nekoru Mei. So, what do I have to do right now? I'm in a new place and..." he faltered as Yoruichi quickly replied to him.

"Well, you have been sent here in East Rukongai, at the 45th district, Zonorei, and you should find a home here. You'll soon adapt to this new lifestyle. You'll have a lot of time," she explained.

"How much?" he asked.

"Well, I am centuries old and yet I maintain this physique and you are gonna live at least as long!" Yoruichi said showing off. It was a partial lie, as the longevity strictly depended from the spiritual energy of the young boy, and at the moment she could not clearly guess how much reiatsu he was emitting, due to his current unstableness as a freshly reincarnated soul.

As Nekoru noticed that the black haired young girl, who he assumed was a Shinigami as well, was trying to hide a blush during Yoruichi's showoff, but he was still amazed by the news she had brought her.

_I am … borderline immortal? _He thought in disbelief, and indeed, as the Shinigamiescorted him, dismissed the thought, deciding to focus on his new house.

As they walked around, Nekoru's sight broadened and was finally able to get a view of the new world he had been standing since his reincarnation (which, in his defense, happened barely ten minutes ago). The place he was walking on, especially compared from the sight of the impressive palaces he had spotted over the horizon, was rather poor. It actually looked like one of the classical poor villages he had seen when he travelled with the Kanagori family. There was a vast grass field, which he could clearly feel through his consumed sandals, and most houses were small, though they seemed well kept, most likely thanks to the dedication of the villagers. People looked also quite gentle, if not a bit fatigued by their daily work. There also seemed to be rather close to more advanced village. He could not say for sure, but he could glimpses bigger houses from another village which seemed to be not very distant and much more enhanced-looking, with a shape of buildings more modern looking compared to his own. He would have gladly taken a look later, as he had discovered something new about the reincarnation: he had left him quite angry, as a soft growl of his stomach, much to his embarrassment, revealed even to the two women. Yoruichi barely held back laughter at this, while the other woman, who at first had gone into an alert state, sweat dropped heavily when he figured out where that sound had come from

"Well, that's your new house!" Yoruichi said, stopping in front of an old traditional Japanese structure that he had not seen since his youth. It somehow reminded him of the house he lived in with his family before the Kanagori had taken him under their wings.

"Thank you. Well, let's hope to meet again!" Nekoru stated pleasantly.

"Why not?" she replied taking his hand a bit and forcefullyshaking it.

For some reason, Nekoru could feel an intimidating presence around, but could not exactly pinpoint where it was coming from. He also got a bit surprised by Yoruichi's handshake. For a second, he thought she could have easily ripped his arm off his body as if it was paper issue. Shaking his head, he laughed off this rather gory fantasy.

_It must be the stress of the day_,Nekoru thought to convince himself to dismiss such thoughts.

"Sayonara!" the dark-skinned woman said as she turned away. Nekoru stared at her back, until the other girl who was following Yoruichifaced him for a moment. As he instinctively backed off, he finally understood: _she_ was the ominous presence. As so he retreated back to his home. It was actually rather small, having no more than a single room, a door and a window. While there seemed to be on the outside wall a hint of green paint, it had faded over time and the brown of the wood was pretty much visible. Overall, while small, it seemed comforting looking and, luckily, in condition only slightly worse than the other…. Maybe because it had not inhabited been for years? Nekoru could not really tell, to be truthful.

The first thing he saw was that his home had no wooden door, having only a veil of cloth to cover the entrance. It seemed on tact quite full of dirt, but to a former butler like him would have been rather easy to clean it off. The house was unkempt and untidy but overall was decent. It was clear it had not been inahbitiated for year, though, from the dirt which had accumulated in the corners. The inside was rather essential; having only the two things he needed the most: a bed and a table. They were a bit consumed by time, but considering how he was clothed right now, he could not complain at all, especially as there was a bowl of food on the table and a pair of chopstick ready to do their jobs. Tthe things he was pleased the most, though, was the good condition of the pavement: no splinter nor nails to damage him and his feet, which were currently badly protected by sandals that he really need to change.

As he walked in front of the bowl, he froze for a second and tapped his foot against the ground, nearly breaking his consumed sandal and then sighed. His life had changed so suddenly...he was reborn and was in a new world. Where did he have to go to get a new job? Would he see the Kanagori family again? So many questions he could not answer.

_I'll think about it tomorrow_, he thought as he began eating. _I wonder if I am gonna see that Shinigami again, that Ishiro Furemuki.

* * *

_

Ishiro sighed as he sent the poor old man's soul to Soul Society. He had been lucky to find a Demi Hollow still willing to purify himself, but he was still left with another problem. There was a Hollow that he had been chasing for a long time. Its name was Bookworm, and because of its viciousness, it had gained a bounty of over 50,000 kens. Ishiro had finally found its location. Bookworm, a large bat-like hollow, was predictably near a Plus, but the odd part was that the Hollow wasn't attempting to eat the wandering soul, but instead was talking with him as they were reading a book together.

"DO you really think that the author may be trying to symbolize the corruption of the current society?" the plus asked.

"Well, I don't know, after all, he does have redeeming characteristics and is fond of Shakespeare just like the protagonist!" the Hollow replied.

Ishiro blinked, stunned by the Hollow's unusual behavior, but almost immediately snapped back to serious.

"You! Monster!" he said drawing his _zanpakuto_. He pointed at the hollow, which raised his head to look at him.

"Yes?" Bookworm politely asked.

"Prepare to your purification!" the Shinigamideclared.

The Hollow remained silent for a moment, and then replied, "Please, could you close an eye? I am doing nothing wrong...and I like my current state!"

Ishiro was surprised by the Hollow's answer back. _He acts just like a human...how __**is this **__possible? Hollows exist only as masses of anger and evil_. He thought. _He's surely tricking me!_

"Get ready, monster!" he demanded slashing away the book. It was then Bookworm went mad. With two hidden arms, which resembled bat wings, he impaled the swordsmanthrough his stomach.

Ishiro was taken by surprise by the attack, but quickly acted by sending the Plus away by performing _konso_.

"You'll pay for this, Shinigami!" Bookworm screamed, grabbing Ishiro with both his hands. He opened his maw and starting shoving the struggling Shinigamiinside.

_I can't die like this. No way, there must be a way out!_ Ishiro thought as Bookworm's open mouth came closer...

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. No Medical Check up for the Wicked

**No medical check-up for the wicked

* * *

**

The life in Soul Society slowly proceeded for the newcomer Nekoru Mei. His had been purified by the Shinigami Ishiro Furemuki, and another, a certain Yoruichi Shihoin, had escorted him to his new home, after telling him that, due to the purification of his soul, he had turned from an old man into a youth. As he finished his first meal since his rebirth, he started reading the note of welcome, which, he thought, was nothing more than a formality. Its content proved him right.

_Dear Sir or Madam,_

_We are glad to welcome you to Soul Society. Your soul has just been purified and has gained access to this place which you'll soon consider a paradise on earth. As to support you during the first days of your staying, we are giving you a small capital of 1.000 kens, which you are able to freely spend as long as you are able to get a new job here. As long as you are going to respect the rules here, your presence will be welcome. For further information, contact us from the base closest to your district!_

_Our best wishes,_

_The Gotei 13 and Central 46_

Nekoru read the note once or twice more as he reached his small bed and wrapped the blanket around himself. Gotei 13? Central 46? Surely they were among the greatest authorities there. Still, they had a point.

_I have to find a job, _he thought before drifting to sleep.

* * *

Bookworm. An odd hollow, as Ishiro could state. The shinigami had seen him doing what most hollows would never do: placate his demonic instincts and speak civilly to a Plus as he was reading a book. Still, a shinigami duty was to fight and kill those creatures, to avoid them to run amok causing death and destruction.

Unfortunately for Ishiro, Bookworm was much more powerful than he expected, and, more importantly, much more vicious: he had already subdued the shinigami, and was actually about to eat him. He had a last chance to survive: to use Kido. He casted a fourth level Kido spell, Genki.

"_Disintegrate –_ Ishiro said_ - you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with…_",

_**CHOMP**_!

Before he could finish pronouncing the spell, the hollow bit off the Shinigami's head, killing him instantly. Bookworm then devoured the rest of the body until there was nothing left.

The hollow, once he finished his meal, looked around. His book was destroyed, he could not read it anymore… He let out a sigh. He wanted to know very badly how it would have ended. Would the protagonist have changed the world from that dystopia? Would his love interest really love him back? Sure, he could have asked somebody, but he disliked having endings spoiled. He had also lost the company of that soul… He let out a verse which resembled a shriek and a cry, and teleported to Hueco Mundo with his Garganta.

Hours later, another shinigami would have found Ishiro's equipment and announced to the headquarters of the Gotei 13.

* * *

Nekoru woke up, resuming the thoughts of the previous night.

_I need to find a job,_ he said as he tidied up his ruffled hair, something which still baffled him, as he used to be bald till the previous day, and tying it into a ponytail. He smirked a bit: he looked better this way. If he wanted to look for a job, he had to have the right look: he needed to clean up. He'd already tidied up the hair, now he needed a new dress. He had to find another kimono, as his former one was too tattered and torn up.

Getting out of home, he directed himself towards the dressing shop to settle down.

As he kept changing Kimono to see which suited him the best, he was pondering. Now, which job was he the most efficient at? The answer came up immediately: butler. Unfortunately, becoming a butler was much more difficult than people would expect: a precarious job as well, considering your master could fire you on a whim… In fact, Nekoru wanted to change job, but what could he do? Then he got an idea!

Taking on a dark grey kimono with a flower decoration on his side, he run with all his money toward a paper shop and bought as much ink and paper as he could.

"Do you have a paintbrush?", the shopkeeper pointed out, making Nekoru's face turn pale and chuckle nervously.

"Well… I'm sorry. I'm a newcomer here!", the boy said blushing. The shopkeeper sighed: another of those purified soul. They looked like twenty but acted like eight.

Letting out a prolonged sigh, the shopkeeper stated: "Don't worry, the brushes are free!".

"Thank you, Sir!", Nekoru said packing all the stuff he had just bought. Returning home, he put in front of the door a sign.

_Nekoru Mei: Painter_

The plan was quite simple: after all, the Kanagori children had forced him to draw the most impossible drawing and, while his success varied from drawing to drawing, he could consider himself quite skilled. He needed something else to stand out: a signature. He made the first thing he could think of: a flower with eight petals. It surely stood out in what he believed: harmony was what art is made of, and a flower of an octagonal shape was the best symbol he could think of.

At first, the business went quite slow. Drawings were kind of useless, and Nekoru was not very renowned… so the start was quite small: first a guy who wanted to buy a gift to her fiancée, then another as a joke... and slowly the number of costumers increased.

And time passed. Very slowly. Nekoru could pleasantly state that what that shinigami had told him was right. Despite so many years passing, he barely aged. Sure, he had to shave and cut his hair, but still over all the years that had been passing and he had not gotten a single white hair or a wrinkle.

Time was also the best cure for homesickness: while he missed a lot of the Kanagori family, after around 40 years, the wounds healed, cruelly in its natural course.

He soon got used to the hierarchy of the place, and was quite surprised to discover that Shinigami were not only the main force, but most of them were also noble. In other words, Shinigami literally ruled over Soul Society with their swords…. And some other powers he never really saw… This was just like the feudal Japan… if it wasn't for the difference that even women could reach high ranks. Nekoru was surprised when he discovered that the dark-skinned woman, Yoruichi Shihoin, was a Captain, which meant she was among the 13 most powerful (both physically and politically) person in the whole Soul Society. And a member of one of the most influential noble families. And she had acted that kindly to him? WOW!

And so time passed monotonously, with a decent income and with little trouble. People walked, sometimes they asked for portrait, other for abstract painting, or other. So, he talked to them, and shared slices of their life. He became an observer, and had an average social life, despite he spent the most with himself and his job. But he liked it, as this was the kind of life he used to hold during the Kanagori family, whose memories were, sadly, fading away as time passed by.

Then, there was a fatigued day.

* * *

It happened very fast. And, by fast, I mean at astonishing speed. Indeed, a man dressed in dark clothes robbed a noble family and, while on the loose, run across the Rukongai, coincidentally in the district where Nekoru was painting, inspired by the beautiful panorama. Easily to guess, the shinigami arrived immediately to interrogate the witnesses, Nekoru included. Among them there were the captain of the 8th division, Shunsui Kyōraku, along with his LARGE 3rd seat, Tatsufusa Enjōji, and Soifon, the girl who was accompanying captain Yoruichi back the day Nekoru's soul was purified.

Much to Nekoru's surprise, Shunsui, instead to be taking the situation seriously, was slacking off (to the point his uniform was pink-colored).

_Those are the people who lead us?_, he wondered silently.

"So- the large man asked – did you see the thief?"

"Yes!", one of the witness asked.

"Could you give us a physical description of him?", the woman asserted, coldly and sharply. The witness obeyed and, as he talked, the lesser shinigami were drawing the suspect. Nekoru, being an artist, was interested to see the drawing, even to match what he had seen and the result of the identikit. As he saw what Tatsufusa had drawn, his eyes widened.

"What's up, sir? - the large man proudly asked – Do you recognize the man? Does my drawing excellently match reality?"

Nekoru kept looking at the drawing before replying. The drawing resembled very little the robber, but he had to find a delicate way to take care of this problem.

"Hm... there is a pair of inaccuracies! Lemme handle this!", he said, taking the paper from the third seat's hand and started drawing. He took a pencil and made a drawing on his own and handed it to the shinigami.

"He looked more like this!", Nekoru finished. Before the third seat could take a look , Soifon stole it with such a speed Nekoru was not able to see her.

"I recognize him. Retsui Gernosaku. He was accused previously of theft, though he was found innocent! Now we have enough proves to frame him! He's gonna get death penality", she said with her cold tone, much to Nekoru's uneasiness.

"Unfortunately – she muttered - it has nothing to do with the recent disappearence!"

The third seat too was slightly amused, though upset that his drawing was rejected. The captain, finally taking some interest, gave a look at the drawing.

"Not bad - he lazily said – among the best I've seen"

Soifon then looked at Nekoru, which recognized her deadly stare and turned at her.

"You are decently skilled, and your drawing could be useful to trace identikits!", Soifon stated with next to no emotion.

Nekoru replied with an embarrassed: "Well, thank you!"

"You could gain an higher income!", she continued, ignoring what he had said.

"I accept!", he replied enthusiastically.

The next decisions were forced. Nekoru sold his home and greeted everybody as he moved to the Seretei. A new life was going to start... but he underestimated the consequences. Indeed, he was not anymore between normal people: it was among nobles and powerhouses. They were less slices of life he could share with somebody... which was pretty sad. He was truly alone this time. Plus, there was the case of the disappearances which seemed to have no solution at all. Luckily, there were both beautiful woman and, occasionally, even decent people willing to talk to him, like the captain of the 2nd and the 12th division, Yoruichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara. After all, it was not a bad life.

* * *

It was something which all of sudden, popped out on Nekoru's mind. He realized all of sudden what the problem was. There was... something which made Nekoru felt uneasy. He could not clearly say what, but it was not the first time: every time Soifon glared at her he could feel this weird presence but now he almost always felt it.

_Must be allergic to Shinigami, _the boy joked chuckling to himself, when all of sudden, he felt that odd sensation again. He promptly realized that another shinigami was there. And he was right. He knew that individual: Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He was rather creepy looking: a very skeletal look with a skull-like visage. His fingernails were blue and, with the exception of the fingernail on his right middle finger, were all short. The one long fingernail was as long as the finger itself. He had blue hair and golden brown eyes. He also wore a white hat with two ends that point to his right and a large purple scarf around his neck. His whole body, even his face and hands, had been painted black and white.

Nekoru then instinctively shallowed: Mayuri was known to be a mentally unstable individual, who the captain Urahara had the brilliant idea to rehabilitate and nominate as vice-president of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.

"Hello, boy!", Mayuri said with his creepy voice, making Nekoru turn from his report.

"Yes, sir?", he asked. Mayuri did not reply, he just checked Nekoru's drawings. The boy looked with attention at the shinigami, to avoid any surprise, pleasant or not. After several minutes, he finally faced again the drawer.

"Well, boy, tell me – the man said with a wicked smirk – you used to be a painter, did not you?"

"uh…. Yes?", Nekoru said questioningly

"Nice drawings, really! Do you take commissions?", he asked with a wider grin.

Nekoru raised a brow at that: he did not know that Mayuri had a taste for drawings. Being a scientist, he assumed he scorned art. So he was a bit pleased by the compliment and cracked a smile. After all, Mayuri, whether he was nuts or sane, was a high ranking shinigami, so a little publicity would not have hurt Nekoru…

"Yes, Mayuri-sama! - the boy replied with an hint of enthusiasm, going so far to crack a smile – what is the subject?"

Mayuri immediately checked the paper, a bit absent-mindedly, as if he was plotting something, and finally handed him a crude drawing. He then pointed it and handed it to Nekoru.

The boy looked at the crude drawing, and was shoked. That thing was … disturbing, abominable, eldritch! Just at looking at it was enough to send Nekor chills through his spines.

_Holy cow! No doubt this guy is insane! – _he thought rubbing his head – _and to think that Urahara is normally a genius…. Was he drunk when he thought to free this guy?_

_Still –_his flow of consciousness continues – _it's quite a challenge to portray such a subject…. I'm a bit intrigued as well…. And if I draw it correctly, I might gain some fame, so why not?_

"Well, I gladly accept to make this commission!", Nekoru said kindly, making Mayuri let out an evil chuckle.

"Excellent! - he said, stil laughing – let's meet on in the laboratory of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute within a week!"

"Just a ….?", Nekoru said, thinking it was too little time, only to Mayuri to interrupt him with an angry glare.

"Because you ARE going to finish it within one week!", the shinigami said, his hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto. Nekoru gulped and nodded. No matter what he wished, but he HAD to finish that drawing as soon as possible.

"S-s-sure!", the painter said stattering the words, scared. The mad man just let out another laugh and walked away. Nekoru sighed: for a second, he felt like he had just done something he would greatly regret.

"Anyway, I can't turn back anymore!", he said, looking once more at the subject. He then shrugged it off and started drawing.

* * *

To draw is not an easy task, especially when you use a paintbrush and ink. Each stroke has to be delicate and secure, especially because the costumer in question was short-tempered and violent. Plus, the subject in question was quite disturbing… but Nekoru was used already to pestering children, so he was used to be under pressure. Despite his several years of drawings, he was done only after several difficult tries. He even managed to make a copy of the drawing, which he planned to hang up in front of his shop as publicity. Unfortunately, the drawing soon proved to be able to scare family pet, little children, and, according to some shinigami, even hollows, so Nekoru was forced to take it away.

Defying the law of common sense, Nekoru actually succeeded in finishing the drawing within a week, though he felt a bit dirty (and disgusted) for what he had just drawn. But, still, business was business… so he respected his deal and, after a week, he went to the SRDI to meet Mayuri, who was waiting for him.

"Hello, painter boy! - Mayuri said with wicked cheerfulness – have you done the painting?"

"Yes, Mayuri-sama!", he said handing him a scroll. Mayuri scrolled the drawing down and looked at it with amusement, and even an hint of surprise, as if he did not expect the drawing to be actually finished. Letting out a smirk, he said.

"Very well, painter boy! - Mayuri replied – I left the money on the lab… wanna follow me?"

Nekoru nodded and replied: "Sure, Mayuri-sama! I am slightly intrigued by scientific artworks! They seem to be becoming popular"

Mayuri laughed at that statement: "Enough to do anything… for science?"

Nekoru, not really elaborating what the shinigami meant, confirmed: "Why not?", causing Mayuri to chuckle louder, then making a gesture to follow him. Nekoru obeyed and looked around the place: it was impressively big, with lots of invention he had never seen in his 102 life of life of Soul Society. He glanced at a door.

He read: "Quin….cy …. Ex….periment…. What does it….?"

"Nothing…. – Mayuri cut him off - possible explanation once I'll complete it!"

"Oh…. Okay! – Nekoru said – are we arrived yet?"

Mayuri did not reply and opened a door.

"Here it is! Come here and sit down!", the scientist said offering him a seat place. Nekoru obeyed.

"You know – Mayuri continued as he admired – I love your drawings. It capture the horror in such a realistic wave… I would love to have your hands"

"Too bad you can't take them!", Nekoru joking, relaxing on the chair. It was then Mayru looked at him with an interested look.

"I would not be that sure!", he said pressing a button on a device. All of sudden several straps appeared on the chair and bounded a surprised Nekoru.

"What…?", he said, before being interrupted again by the mad man, who had just unsheathed his Zanpakuto. In the meanwhile, the chair turned into an hospital bed.

"Come here, Nemu!", Mayuri said, and there came a woman, young and petite at first sight, but seen carefully her body was doll-like, very patched up.

"She's just a prototype! – he explained to Nekoru in a perfect mad scientist style – I'm building her a more effective body…. You know, based on gigai technology…. You know what a gigai is, painter boy? No? I don't care. The point is this: as she's going to become my masterpiece, I need object of prime quality… and your hands are perfect to draw blueprints. And don't lie, don't say your hands are not feminine at all! Trust me, they are…. Now, let me cut your hands off!"

Mayuri went near Nekoru, ready to strike, as Nekoru kept shrieking in rage and fear. Upset by this, Mayuri made a gesture to the prototype Nemu, who immediately held the boy down, accidentally (?) smothering him with her ample bosom.

"Don't worry. Think of this! You are doing something for science! And I might do later some prosthesis… unlikely, though!", he said with nonchalance and an evil laugh.

Nekoru was able to let out only muffled sounds as the mad shinigami raised his zanpakuto, ready to strike.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Exams and Captains

**Exams and Captains**

* * *

Now, Nekoru, during his first life as human, had always been a bit reluctant about science, as it was too downgraded. But since then had passed over a century, and he had been marveled by its gigantic progress; he would have never guessed the soulphone would have replaced the combination of pigeons to communicate at great length. But now that he had been tied up by Mayuri Kurotsuchi, shinigami and mad Vice-captain of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, and his latest creation, an artificial daughter of sort, so that the former could cut off his hands and attach them to the latter, his opinion switched back to 'it sucks'. And he would have screamed it aloud, if it wasn't for the fact that the 'artificial daughter' was smothering him. The only thing could do was feel his limbs strapped against the bed he had been trapped on and heard Mayuri's maniacal laughter as he was about to deal the fatal strike which would have amputated Nekoru's hands.

Then the boy could hear a door opening and a soft-spoken voice, of an adult man, the kindest voice that could come from a man. Nemu vanished as fast as she could from the room to avoid being seen. Nekoru gasped for air as soon as she vanished. Mayuri cursed between his teeth, his face turned livid at the newcomer.

"Hello, Mayuri! What were you up to?" the man kindly said. In the meanwhile, the boy's head turned at the same direction of Mayuri's. He could not see the man fully, for he was in a backlight, but he recognized glasses under the silhouette.

"Nothing in particular – the mad scientist said - I was talking to this boy"

Nekoru attempted to talk and make a rebuttal, but as Mayuri pointed the zanpakuto at him, he shut his mouth and surrendered.

"Well…. You know, the boy has a lot of paperwork to do… and even some commissions!" the other shinigami said. Nekoru smirked, he could not do much with his hands tied up.

Mayuri growled and nodded. Turning at Nekoru, he raised his zanpakuto and slashed four times. Nekoru closed his eyes as he saw it, but discovered, much to his surprise, that Mayuri had just cut off his bondages.

"Oh well, okay! Painter boy, you and your hands are safe. Stand up and get out of here!" the madman angrily said to Nekoru, which happily complied and left with the other shinigami. As he looked back, he saw Mayuri wickedly smiling at him.

_No way I'm getting deceived again! _he thought. He then turned at his savior. He appeared as a mild-featured man with brown scholarly hair enhanced by square glasses.

_Quite harmless and nice-looking_, Nekoru kept thinking.

"I am sorry for what happened to you – the man said – I would like to apologize in the place of Mayuri. He is a great man…. He just happens to occasionally overlook ethic problems! But he's okay… But, now, switching to you… are you okay?"

"Well, sir… I am fine! He managed to do nothing to me!" he said rubbing his head.

"Good then – the shinigami said smiling – so…. You are the one who works at the identikit unit, don't you?"

"Yes!" Nekoru replied with a nod.

"You know, I saw your work…. Quite impressive, I wanted to ask something, but… I don't know", the man said.

"What?" Nekoru asked intrigued.

"I don't know if I can ask you… You must have been tired and shaken by what Mayuri did…." he said, not wanting to disturb Nekoru.

"Please – Nekoru said - I'm interested!"

"Well…. I have a commission I wished to give you…." the brown-haired man said. At this, Nekoru's stare predictably hardened. Another shinigami was trying to trick him the same way?

"Well – he said making a smile – sure! But first I want the cash… I am sorry, but it is my standard procedure."

The brown haired man looked a bit inquiringly, but after a smile, he nodded and accepted.

"Of course, I'll pay you immediately!" he said taking a paper and writing something.

_It must be a check!_ Nekoru thought, but once he read what the man wrote, he could not believe it.

"Sir, this is a reference letter for the Shinigami academy!" he said embarrassed and shocked.

"Yes, I know it! I doubt you could get there on your own, as you are not very rich nor you came from a noble family," he said.

"But … but… why?" Nekoru asked, surprised

"Well, you are a normal human, but you live among us shinigami. You hear directly of their tales and adventures, you can see their special powers, the shikai, and yet…. You can do nothing, just watch… but if you become a shinigami, everything would change. Think of the adventure and the fame, the power you could get! Wouldn't it be beautiful? Would you like finally to gain more freedom? Not to be anymore bound to be a simple person…. But to be an hero!" the shinigami said in a suave, charming and almost poetic tone, which made Nekoru's eyes gleam for a second.

_I…. being a shinigami? Well, I've never thought of it… but the shinigami is right. It would be great. Becoming one of the legends I constantly hear of, swinging my zanpakuto in the name of justice…_ Nekoru thought, entranced by his word.

"S-s-s-sure! Do you think I could pull it off?" he asked.

"You are a good man, Nekoru Mei, and you have a decent reiatsu which, once it's refined could be a very great addition to the Gotei 13! I think you should take a try", the man said with a kind smile.

"Thank you sir, thank you…" Nekoru said completely moved, only to interrupt himself once he realized he did not know the name of his interlocutor.

Checking the letter, he repeated: "Thank you, Lieutenant Sosuke Aizen-sama! I am eternally grateful… just a question, what is the drawing?"

"I would like to have a drawing of the most detailed map possible of the whole Soul Society, especially the Sereitei! Take your time, though! I can wait even for a century! Also, no need to be so formal: Aizen will suffice," Aizen kindly said with friendly laughter.

"Thank you, Lieu… Aizen-san! See you soon!" Nekoru said happily.

Who would have guessed he, Nekoru Mei, butler of the Kanagori family, painter, tracer of identikit, would, no, could have become a shinigami? He did not even think of it before…. But now… He could really become one of them. It gave him a shot of enthusiasm: he could become a legendary figure.

Once Nekoru returned home, he finished most of the paper work he had been assigned to compile, started the drawing Aizen had that kindly asked him to do, making a first outline of it.

Nekoru then had dinner and started sleeping. His dreams were of heroes and legend, and he being part of them. Hollows were being slaughtered by his Bankai and Captains feared and respected him. Only time would tell how much reality would have clashed with the dreams.

* * *

Bookworm, a normal hollow with a craving for soul. He had fought, killed and eaten even 2 shinigami… but he had a quirk: he loved, really LOVED, reading books. He'd rather read a single book than devouring a thousand of souls. He sometimes wondered what made books so fond to him, but never put much thought in it.

"_C'mon, Manto-san! Get out of your room," a woman said._

"_No, darling… I am reading… these legends are… so wonderful!' the man said to his wife…._

All of sudden, a snarling voice snapped bookworm back to reality. It was Meltdown, another hollow, a bit blob-like in appearance and much more vicious than Bookworm.

"C'mon, you shitty bat! Don't just look there," he said to Bookworm. The hollow snarled, but Meltdown was stronger than him, so he had to follow. Along with him there were other four hollows: the strongest, and the closest to evolve into a higher class Hollow, a Menos Grande, the mantis-like Abringer of Despair, his lackey, the pig-like Warthog, and two insects-like hollows, Leech and Parasite. Most of them, Bookworm included, were around only to eat the souls Destroyer would forget.

_It was an odd kind of friendship_, he thought as they were hunting, all of sudden getting another flashback.

"_Manto-san!, another man said to Manto._

"_Oshiro-san! Buddie? How it's going?" he asked him._

"_Wonderfully! Don't you know the good news?" Oshiro asked Manto, to which he shook the head._

"_The storyteller is here! And brought a lots of new scroll to the library", he said._

All of sudden, a troop of shinigami arrived. At first the hollows were quite sure they would win…. But at the first charge, Warthog got his eye slashed away and Leech was cut in half. Bookworm was fighting, when, all of sudden, he saw a separate incident. A man was walking off the street, not noticing a car which was going at full speed. He couldn't stand to see more. Pushing away the shinigami he was fighting against, he rushed and unleashed a violent sonic roar, which made the car explode. The poor guy looked at the spectacle and ran. The shinigami, instead, had been saved by her companion.

Meltdown was nowhere to be seen, for he had escaped before the fight had even started. Abringer was fighting to a standstill with his shinigami, and was the only one unscratched, but Parasite was fatally wounded by the other shinigami. Abringer of Despair exploited the situation and ate the flea-like hollow, fittingly. But the shinigami bonded him with a combined Kido Spell and were about to strike a fatal blow, but Warthog saved his master. Outmatched, the hollows were forced to flee.

Back in Hueco Mundo, the first thing Destroyer did to his servant for having saved him was to berate him, to the point of physical abuse.

"How you dared to save me, you …." Abringer yelled at him, horribly cursing. In the meanwhile, Bookworm was looking far away. He had fought and nearly been killed like all the others, and he had figured the why they had lost… the shinigami were using teamwork, while the hollows had been clashing against both the shinigami and each other. If they had worked together, they might have won.

_Humans_ – bookworm thought - _humans have something…. Philosophy! A set of value… and so on… we need something similar. Hollows are stronger and faster than humans, so they are better! And we'll do it! I'll do it…. I must set some values, and hollows will finally be superior to shinigami and their stupid Soul Society. ALL VALUES WILL BE HOLLOW!_

* * *

Nekoru had been working a lot in these four years. Not only he was working as a freelance painter and as a tracer of identikit for the shinigami, but now he was a student of the Shinigami academy, thanks to Sosuke Aizen's reference letter, who had recently become Captain. It was quite hard to keep up to the study, due to the massive mole of exams and training. It was even worse when someone wanted to kick the crap out of you just to prove his strength.

Still, he was fatiguing a lot, he had concluded most of the exams, and, according to most instructors, he could end up finishing the course in just 5 years opposed to 6 with a decent score. After all, a creepy smiling kid (who was among the one who often humiliated Nekoru in a fight) had passed the whole course in just a single years and had become 3rd seat. Nekoru hoped to be able to surpass him one day, and everything was going smooth. Sure, occasionally lessons took a whole different twist, especially when captains went to make a special lesson. There were already some who made courses, like Aizen himself, who taught an optional calligraphy class at the academy, which was so popular that students had to sit in corridors for the lectures due to the numbers attending (and Nekoru was among these sitting in the corridors).

Also, there was the special lesson Yoruichi made about Shunpo. How could he forget it?

* * *

All the students had come out on the roof, when all of sudden all of them (Nekoru included) felt as if something soft had bumped against their head. All the class looked at each other, attempting to figure out what it was. Then a female voice at the centre called them out: "Hi everybody! The lesson begins! "I am Yoruichi Shinoin, Captain of the 2nd division and, most importantly, Goddess of Flash, being the foremost master of Shunpo in the history of Soul Society, as the lesson we take in question is about Shunpo!"

"Hohō is an important skill for most Shinigami. .. Shunpo is the most commonly used Hohō technique. However, there are variations even within Shunpo and other Hohō techniques that only master Hohō practitioner can use.

"Shunpo, a movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow. The focal point that determines the bases of this technique is speed. As speed is the main point of the technique the method is best characterized by how fast one can get from point A to point B in the least amount of steps. Training and skill are what determines how fast a user of Shunpo can move; those of little skill in the technique or those who haven't used it an extended amount of time would obviously be out of practice, causing those individuals to be considerably slower, which requires the use of more steps to move the same distance and become winded far easier in a shorter amount of time.

"Senka, a special Shunpo technique where one moves to their opponents back, directly attacking and sealing one's "Saketsu" and "Hakusui" in one strike. The movement is so fast that an opponent may not be able to tell whether he was attacked from the front or the back and even an outside observer may find it impossible to tell what the movements are.

"Utsusemi: It allows for a movement at great speed leaving an afterimage behind. The afterimage may even appear to have taken damage … "

And the lesson proceeded.

"But you know most of it, so now we will practice!" she said with a smirk and making appear a piece of paper.

"This is a diploma for the Shino academy! Take it and you pass!" she continued.

Everyone was amazed and, indeed, one of the students raised her hand and asked: "WHY?"

"Well – Yourichi nonchalantly said – if you can outrun me while I use shunpo… why should you be here?"

"And for the winner, there will be another special prize! - she said with a sultrier tone – the allowance to see and share my wardrobe… or my bathing schedule!"

Now, all the girls and the boys were listening.

"The contest to catch me is around the whole academy! It starts now! - she said – Ready! Steady! G…!"

She shunpo-ed so quickly that nobody was able to see her or listen to her finishing the phrase. And, so, the contest of tag started. Everybody flash-stepped as fast as they could, Nekoru was no exception…

_The bathing sched… I mean, the diploma would be perfect to frame on my wall_, he thought. Then, he finally saw her playing with the diploma as if it was a flag: at the sight, Nekoru shunpo-ed even faster. She, who had her back turned at him, noticed it, faced him and let out a grin. She looked like to be at hands' reach… only to flash step at the last second so quickly Nekoru did not see her move, just disappear, and at her place another shinigami with a similar speed who was crashing against him. With a swift move, both of them dodged each other and let out a sigh.

"You nearly killed me!" Nekoru said to his companion.

"I am sorry! I was concentrated only in taking the diploma," the other said, to which Nekoru sighed.

"Don't worry, Shirogane-san! It happened", Nekoru said shaking the head and then both of them resumed flash stepping.

He kept looking for her for over 20 minutes, but eventually found her. This time, Yoruichi had been dealing with half a dozen of students, so she was lightly taken by surprise when Nekoru managed to grab her haori from behind, followed by other two students.

"Well done… now how do you…?", he asked her, only to be interrupted by Yoruichi who had flash stepped out of her clothes, leaving him speechless.

"Nice try!" Yoruichi teased them before disappearing again. But nobody gave up, and the chase for the Flash Goddess and the diploma/allowance for her wardrobe/bathing schedule resumed even worse, as now the students were actively sabotaging each other

After a brief struggle to take her haori, Nekoru found Yoruichi standing on the roof. He let out a wide grin, especially because she had a very nice back, and fantasized a bit about her.

_Third time is the charm, after all,_ he thought.

"Please, boy, don't lose the element of surprise to admire me!" Yoruichi teased him once more.

As a reply, he blushed for a second and let out an apologized: "Sorry, Captain Yoruichi Shihoin-sama!"

"Why are you so formal? Stop and get me, geez!" she sighed with a playful and friendly tone.

Nekoru nodded and got ready to get her. It did not work. Instead, Yourichi shunpoe-ed the way out and took back the haori… but to Nekoru it did not go that well: he tripped over her leg and, due to the inhuman speed of his shunpo, flew away and afar with a loud scream.

Yoruichi gritted her teeth as she jumped and saved him from crashing against a roof, with which his forehead had already come in contact with.

She then looked at him: he looked too traumatized to continue, after nearly killing himself.

"Now… sit down and be quiet! You did well!" she said to him after setting him down.

With a sigh, he accepted and safely retired. After all, he still had all the odds to pass the course even without this exercise, so he was pretty much safe. Most likely it was the right thing to do, as nobody managed to get that damn diploma from Yoruichi. She was so fast he could barely keep track of her.

_The diploma must have been a ruse to further apply us with shunpo! _- he realized with a sigh – _nice ploy, Captain Yoruichi Shihoin-sama! Nice ploy… and nice back… and nice saving! Though my head hurts a bit._

At the end of the lesson, he had a nice and friendly talk with the captain, which ended with Yoruichi giving Nekoru a headband of hers, which he used to lighten the pain, in exchange of a painting of his. Overall, a nice lesson, which he fondly remembered, to the point he still kept the headband… though he had an awkward time when a certain noble kid noticed he was wearing a similar headband… Luckily, nothing came out of it.

Then it got worse. Just a week later, the problem of the disappeared shinigami was finally solved… But Nekoru could not help but notice how many were missing. Urahra, Tessai, Shinji... even Yoruichi. At first he ahd dismissed such a lack of reiatsu, but one day happened to eavesdrop the rumors captains were exchanging. Apparelty the responsible one was among the most unexpected: Kisuke Urahara, captain of the 12th division, was apprehended along with the leader of the Kido Corps, Tessai Tsukabishi, were arrested under the orders of the Central 46 Chambers. Apparently, they were quickly given their sentences, as most of the trials with the Central 46. Urahara was sentenced to become human and to be exiled to the Human World for "committing crimes against researching and invoking forbidden phenomenon" as well as "deceiving and inflicting grievous injury to fellow Shinigami". Tessai was sentenced to life imprisonment in a Level 3 detention area for "using forbidden Kidō techniques." Before either of their sentences could be executed a masked Yoruichi entered the building knocking the guards unconscious and rescuing the disgraced former captains.

Nobody managed to find them and had been looking for them for weeks… When Nekoru heard this he went into a frenzy: what could he do? He had not even finished the drawing for Yoruichi… He tried to check everywhere, but still… he was an unseated shinigami looking for a pair of captains who had disappeared for OVER A WEEK, what could he have done? Exactly what he achieved: nothing. No traces, no clue, nothing. That was a bad day for him…

* * *

But life moved on: replacement captains were found, and Nekoru continued studying at the Shino Academy, as the lesson became more difficult and with a faster pace, with the first Konso ceremonies and real fight against hollows, mostly in company with instructors, though.

But he proceeded and succeeded: that accident and the scandal of the trial just strengthened his determination, both to make Soul Society a better place and to find the guilty people, even to see whether they were really 'evil', as deemed by Central 46, or 'misguided'.

Now he had only the last exams: achieving Shikai, the initial release of his sword. Who knew which kind of power would have received: a kickass fire power, like the one of the Captain Commander? Or Turn his sword in one thousand of blades? Turn it as long as the whole Sereitei? Create shockwaves? Or something even better, like bending the rule of reality or, at least, human senses? Sure, he hoped not to get a zanpakuto identical to another shinigami, otherwise he would be forced to fight him/her in a duel to death.

But it was useless to think the negative. A beautiful future was waiting for him: once he got the zanpakuto, he could have even joined a division. He had already got some request letter from the 12th division captain, now Mayuri (that was ready to welcome both him and his 'beautiful hands'), and the 5th captain, Aizen. He also was keeping in consideration the 9th, which was held in high regard as it was in charge of the _Seireitei News Magazine _and investigations; and the 1st division itself, of course… it could have been a great honor, after all.

_So many choices_, the boy mused as he was cooking a cake to celebrate the night before the final exam, when he saw a very small, young girl with pink hair and a blush on her cheeks. She was wearing the normal Shinigami robes, with the Lieutenant insignia on her arm. Nekoru had never seen her, but could understand who she was.

"Good evening, Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi-sama! What do you want from me? I am Nekoru Mei," Nekoru said.

"HI, Neko-neko!" she said looking more at the cake than at him.

Nekoru realized and asked her: "Do you want some cake?"

Yachiru let out a wider smile: "YAY! CAKE!"

Nekoru was happy to give her a slice, but eventually, she ate all of it, much to Nekoru's surprise. Luckily for him, he had baked some cookies too… but Yachiru ate them all. Fortunately, he could make himself a sandwich… but Yachiru ate it too… He then settled down to a glass of water, as Yachiru had even found a large lollipop.

Then he looked at the glass. He could hear some sounds… and the water was moving. A large shadow covered his small house and then appeared a muscular shinigami with a wild and aggressive appearance, wearing a sleeveless captain's _haori_ with a ragged look, his hair spiked with small bells at its tips and wearing a special eye patch on his right eye, towering at 202 centimeters (approximately 6 feet 6 inches).

Nekoru looked at the newcomer as he couldn't help but mumble his name: "Za-za-za-zaraki Kenpachi!"

"Yes – Kenpachi said looking at Nekoru – that's my name! I got lost… have you seen my lieu…"

"Ken-chan!" Yachiru interrupted him and jumped onto his back, to which Kenpachi cracked a smile. Nekoru was a bit… puzzled to see such a cute little girl and a demoniacal brute together, but soon Kenpachi looked back at him with a piercing stare.

"What are you looking at?" he asked.

"No, nothing?" the boy asked, terrified by Kenpachi. He had heard that man had killed the captain of the 11th division with a single strike, so, if he'd wished to kill Nekoru, he could have done it with little no trouble. Looking away, Nekoru swallowed.

"Another shinigami, I see!" Kenpachi said looking at Nekoru's zanpakuto, a four feet long nodachi with a very long hilt, green-colored, around one foot long. The boy did not have time before as the voice of the Captain Commander himself, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, spoke through the intercom.

The message echoed through all the Sereitei: "Attention, Hollow, Adjuchas Class, in the Human World! Top priority! Alert."

Zaraki let out a smirk.

"My blade was getting a bit too much rusty, after all!" the large shinigami said as he unsheathed his zanpakuto. The blade was much longer than that of a standard Zanpakutō, roughly the size of a nodachi with a guard that extended inward from its center similar to a shinai. The hilt was white although most of it was wrapped in bandages, as was his sword's sheath. It looked as wild and aggressive as its own master.

Nekoru was sweating out of fear, and only a tapping on his shoulder snapped him back to reality. It was Yachiru.

"Wanna come with us, Neko Neko?" she asked him, but before he could reply, he was forcefully dragged by the lieutenant.

_She is much stronger than I could think of! –_ he thought – _not that it would help if she was weak. Her captain is Zaraki Kenpachi, one of the strongest shinigami around…. I don't want to be subject to his wrath!_

The enemy was a gigantic, around 8 feet tall, with a large tail with a mace-like end and a pair of tail. It looked as something which had come out from hell. Zaraki saw the monster and laughed like a madman… but it was different from Mayuri's: it was deep and menacing. The fight was brutal: both the captain and the hollow were apparently going all out against each other, Kenpachi swinging his sword like a mad-man and the hollow fighting with a mix of Ceros and brute strength.

Nekoru tried to fight against the Adjuchas, but as soon as he tried to slash him, the hollow slammed him against a wall, next to Yachiru, coincidentally, who was looking amused at the fight, occasionally cheering for her captain.

Then the Hollow started getting the upper hand. So Kenpachi one-upped himself by taking off his eye patch and raised his spiritual energy, which condensed into the shape of a skull.

It was then Nekoru felt odd. He was trying to breath… but couldn't. He opened his mouth to gape for more air… but he could not let it out.

"What's up, Neko Neko?" Yachiru asked him as he repeated the same.

"_I_ … - he said with very little voice – can't…. breath…."

Yachiru looked at him confused as he passed out, welcoming the bliss of unconsciousness!

When he woke up, he was in the 4th division headquarter, along with a winning (but not unwounded) Kenpachi, who was laughing and smirking to celebrate his victory. Well, at least all of them were alive, so he could not complain.

* * *

And finally, the day arrived, the day of the final exam, where he would have gotten his shikai. Nekoru went to his instructors and gave them a good riddance, not without tearing it up. He then was placed into tatami where he sat down and started meditating.

One places their sword over their lap and takes a meditative pose and then forces their mind to become one with the Zanpakutō, remembering the lessons he had been given.

_In this form, one can call out the true form of the powers of their Zanpakutō. This form is something that Soul Society has worked out over the thousands of years since its formation. It is entirely about speaking with one's sword. All other techniques require a level of subjugation in order to obtain. This form is about entering a state of calm to enter the inner world of the Zanpakutō and engage them there in a battle far more brutal than any previous battle with one's Zanpakutō spirit. Engaging in this form allows for instant skill being attained in what would take thousands of years- In this meditative state, one is so deeply entranced that even sustained wounds are ignored._

The instructors looked at him. They could recognize he was fully focused and hoped to see soon another student finally ending his own course of study.

Hours passed and passed. Eventually, he opened his eyes surprised.

"So, Nekoru Mei – an instructor asked – might you tell us the sword command?"

Nekoru looked down and shook his head.

"I…. heard nothing…. There was nothing!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	4. Plot Interwined

**Plot intertwined**

**

* * *

**

_An horse at full speed. Its hooves deadly and quick. A man covered in blood. Manto Baniesu, age 36, was dead. But he wanted to read that book… only to discover that the man who drove the horse had taken the book. Rage, Wrath, Ire, Fury… These feelings grew and turned a poor soul killed by an unfair joke of destiny into a monster. The Librarian, the horse, the horse rider… everybody were swallowed by his wrath… but he just wanted… to read a book._

The bat-like hollow known as Bookworm snapped out of that vision. Why the life of that man was constantly flashing before his eyes? He could not answer, but shrugged it and resumed talking to the other hollow, the mouse-like Trapster.

"So, you see! Hollowity is a great thing. We all will stand in Heaven, because we are the dominant race. We struggle to evolve and the ones who succeed became more powerful. We are so powerful that not even death can destroy our soul and we are the ones able to see hell… if we were to unite, all the other dimensions would crumble. Not even the dimension where the shinigami reside would withstand our sheer number!", he continued.

Trapster looked at him disgusted and replied: "YOU ARE BATSHIT INSANE!"

So, Bookworm, as the civil hollow he was, reacted the proper way: in a fit of rage, he ripped in half the mouse and devoured him. Trapster had not been the first nor would be the last. After one hundred of hollow, he grew to towering heights and was enveloped by dark robes, but his hunger did not decrease. Other hollows fell for his causes: the one who were against him would have brought the Hollow race to ruin, the mindless ones were useless. So he evolved again. Human-sized, enchased in white plates which resembled armor, long wings which covered him like a cloack, large arms, a set of fangs, clawed feet. He was an Adjuchas… Maybe, with more power, hollowity would have finally taken over Hueco Mundo. But raw strength was not enough! He needed knowledge: he needed… BOOKS!

* * *

Nekoru's house was very small. A single room where there was a bed, a table which he used either to have lunch or do his job, and a pair of closets where he held, respectively, food and drawing. Hung up on the walls, there were lots of paintings of varying quality.

He looked at his deck, sitting beside it: there was a request of the Captain of the 2nd division of the Gotei 13, Soi Fong. He could not refuse, partially because she was a superior, secondly because he owned a lot to the second division. Last, but not least, Soi Fon had a terrifying shikai, able to kill a single being.

Nekoru took the paintbrush he had put on his hear and started finishing the painting, refining the lines and the shading. With a satisfied sigh put a note at the end: _Turn around and only an afterimage remains withal._

The boy cracked a smile: he had just done a great part of the work his two jobs requited: he had finished drawing a commision from one of the Captains, and had finally finished the paper work the Shinigami Accademy had assigned him to do. The last moves of paintbrush... and now the painting had ended. He made his signature, a flower. After all, Mei, his own surname, meant flower... a bit embarassing, considering that he used to be picked on bullies on the academy... but his skill in swordmanship and Haruda had shut them up very good.

_They have serious problem, if they are asking me to fill so many parts of the report, _the young Shinigami mused. He tidied up the paperwork, scrolled up the painting, which had finally dried up, and stood up, keeping the flow of his consciousness occupy most of his cerebral activities. His brain was pulsing as it had started touching delicate nerves... for some reason; he had been stuck by a pessimistic thought.

"I hope she likes it!", he said alout not without an hint of nervous sweating and a deep breath.

He stood up and got out his home. Outside there was the famous insignia 'NEKORU MEI: PAINTER' with a list of prices for drawings, with next a sign which reads 'SPECIAL DISCOUNTS FOR THE MEMBER OF THE GOTEI 13'. For example, a captain could have a drawing for free, with the exception he had to sign a paper where he/she certified the fact that he/she had given a commission to Nekoru and liked it.

_Well, Soul Society is not passing through its Golden Age: the hollows had been turning much more aggressive and their invasion of the human world much more frequent, _he thought, instinctively looked at his zanpakuto, carried over his sash. His stomach started twisting, causing a great deal of pain to Nekoru.

Because of this, he had always been stuck there in Soul Society. He would have been only an hinderance. A shinigami fighting with no shikai... was just hollow food! Nekoru shrugged off his frustration, cracked a smile and switched topic.

_It seems like it's going to be another sunny day... at least I might have a relaxed walk_, he thought as he finally reached the headquarters, where he met the lieutenant of the 2nd division, Marechiyo Omaeda. Nekoru sighed.

_Why did have to meet such an arrogant man?_, he thought. But, as Omaeda was the one to commission the painting in the first place, he could not show such disdain, cracked a smile and bowed his head.

"Lieutenant Marechiyo Omaeda-sama, greetings!", he said, to which the large man turned.

"Oh, Mei-san! How are going the commissions?", he asked Nekoru.

The boy promptly replied by showing a scroll and saying: "It's for her!"

Omaeda had never held Nekoru in high regard, due to his unseated position as a Shinigami, but still he was a decently skilled (and cheap) painter, since he saw his skills when Nekoru made a commission for Omaeda himself.

The lieutenant nodded satisfied as he looked at the scroll mused: "I did not think you would have started with her!".

Nekoru nodded, acknowledging the statement.

"I will bring you to her immediately!", Omaeda continued, causing Nekoru's eyes to widen slightly: he did not like to stay near a captain, but he could not object, so he followed the large man without speaking.

Soifon was meditating as her lieutenant called her. With a single leap, she reached them.

"Captain – Omaeda said – here is the painter Nekoru Mei! He has just made the painting commissioned to her!"

Soifon turned. She easily recognized Nekoru: in fact, she was the one to bring him to the Sereitei, after all. The same, Nekoru could recognize her deadly cold stare everywhere, and shallowed a bit of his saliva.

He bowed down as he said: "C-c-captain Soifon-sama?"

"What is it Mei?" She asked in a voice that asserted superiority.

"I am sorry for the delay, but I finally finished the painting!", the boy scrolled down the painting and showed it to her. The painting was abstract art at its finest, a psychedelic drawing with a tree and several black cats and bees.

"I saw you like black cat, so I drew a pair of them... Hope it meets your standard!", he said.

_And that you won't use your two-hit killing shikai on me,_ he thought as Soifon stood silent looking at it, her expression impossible to read.

She then looked at Nekoru and finally expressed her opinion.

"Not that bad of a painting, Mei. I might hang it up!", she said. Despite her cold tone, Nekoru easily recognized her statement to be a compliment.

"I'm please you like it, Captain Soifon-sama! As usual, if you wish me to do another painting, I'm at your disposal", he said, still keeping his head down.

"No, Mei. That is it for now: you are dismissed." Soifon said turning at him and waving him away.

Nekoru vanished as soon as Soifon dismissed him, so quickly that even Omaeda barely noticeding him moving away. The painter would have liked to take a peek at her true reaction, but the lack of a lawyer, a witness or at least a shield made him decide otherwise.

He took a list of the commission and crossed Soifon's name out. He looked at it: with the new commission, 5 captains out of current 13 had asked him a painting (namely Soifon, Ichimaru Gin, Sosuke Aizen, Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Jushiro Ukitake)

"What do we have here?", a young-sounding voice said looking at Nekoru's odd glee confusinglyl. The painter shinigami turned, easily recognizing the voice: captain of the 10th division, Toshiro Hitsugaya, followed by his lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, easily recognized as one of the most beautiful (and bustiest) Shinigami in Soul Society. And to think that her captain was only a small kid…

Nekoru easily responded with the truth.

"This is a list of the commision of panting I have been commised to do for any of the member of the Gotei 13, Captain Hitsugaya-sama. I finally finished Captain Soifon-sama's request... – he stated, then decided to exploit an opportunity - if you wish, I could make a painting even for you and/or your lieutenant, Captain Hitsugaya-sama!", he told him (bowing his head down, of course).

Hitsugaya let out an upset sigh at the painter's request.

_Opportunist,_ he thought, while Matsumoto was pondering the question.

"No, no need for it – the short boy replied- maybe Matsumoto…"

Before he could continue, Matsumoto popped out of the conversation (with an boing-like sound, to boot) and enthusiastically cut in:" "I would love a painting of me, I always thought I needed to have a painting of myself."

Nekoru let out a smirk at this.

"I apologize, captain Hitsugaya-sama. And I would be pleased to take a portraint of you, Lieutenant Matsumoto-sama!"; he said

_Wait, has it come out right?_, Nekoru wondered in his head.

"Well, maybe another time: me and Matsumoto have important buisiness to take care of." Toshiro said walking away from Nekoru.

"Goodbye, Captain Hitsugaya-sama! Bye, Lieutenant Matsumoto-sama!", he said. Captains… lieutenants… the pride of Soul Sociey…

_And me? - _He thought _-What about me? What could I do to help my superior? Nothing. I could not even achieve Shikai for some odd reason._

_I just do not understand... sure, shikai is supposed to be difficult, but most instructors admit there is an anomaly in my personal case. Nobody knows what to do to help me to unlock my power... it's been over 20 years since the first time I tried to achive shikai..., _he kept thinking. Stomping the groung with an hint of violence. He checked his soul phone: he had to return to his second work, assistant to the academy. He always thought they hired him out of pity, as he had failed unexpectedly the last exam. He checked what he had to do: another inspection at the district 3600, Karakura town, a small city in Western Tokyo with an average population, situated on the current jūreichi - the point in the Human World that possesses the greatest concentration of spiritual beings.

_Better than nothing,_ he thought as he took the necessary equipment to go to the human world. He let out a bitter smile: despite he had been in the human world around a dozen of times, but he never got to visit his hometown of his previous life: he had always wished to know whatever happened to the Kanagori family in the latest two century… and neither this time could he have discovered anything.

* * *

As he went through the Sekaimon, he was glad to see that even in the human world it was a beautiful day. The sky was clean and people were cheerfully walking along the streets. Most of them would not be able to see Nekoru, others would notice but dismiss him. After all, who would believe to a samurai-like person walking around with a true sword?

_ Maybe some geek obsessed with anime and cosplay_, he thought chuckling. After 2 hollows and 5 pluses purified, he felt something. It was no hollow, no: it was a…

_Shinigami? - _He wondered –_There shouldn't be any other shinigami now…_

Taken by curiosity, he followed the small trace of reiatsu. As he reached it, he couldn't help but notice it was much higher than he expected, even superior than his own. When he finally reached it, he found… nothing.

_Not a single soul_, he thought, not noticing the accidental pun. With a sigh he looked around and yawned.

"I might have gotten it wrong!", he said and then spotted something: a black spot above a tree. He promptly recognized what it was: a black cat. He then remembered something.

_A reiatsu high… A black cat… holy ... _he thought as he reached for the soul phone. The black cat, seeing this, widened its eyes and ran at full speed. No, it did at fuller speed, as it surpassed any cat on the whole planet. Witha single leap, the cat took the soul phone in its mouth, surprising Nekoru in the process.

"Got Ya!", Nekoru muttered going at full shunpo against the feline which, surprisingly, used shunpo as well. At first, the shinigami was able to catch up to the cat, but eventually he was not able to find him.

_I understand. High reaitsu,a black cat, the theft of my soul phone: the cat must be Yoruichi! I don't know any fugitive shinigami with this power!_, he thought, but his flow of consciousness was interrupted by a voice.

"Are you looking for me, little one?" Yoruichi said in her human form standing on top of a tree. And then, in an irrational series of events, he unexplicably changed his expresson on the face from determination to fear. Even his zanpakuto started trembling.

He chuckled nervously, and started talking: "Captain Yoruichi-sama... long time we don't see each other... you have not even retired the painting from my shop! Is this a new haircut?"

Yoruichi, who had indeed changed her hairstyle into a long ponytail, nodded; though she wondered what the shinigami could mean with her last statement. Nekoru, attempting to gain some composure told her: "Alright, Captain Yoruichi-sama! I'm taking you in: there is a huge bounty on you and justice must prevail"

"Sorry, but I don't feel like going back to the Soul Society just to get killed." Yoruichi said with a jump, landing near him.

Resuming trembling, Nekoru looked at her and branded his zanpakuto. Yoruichi immediately noticed something odd: Nekoru was not as powerful as her, yet he had not released. She would have thought he was arrogant, had he not recurred to diplomacy at first. She realized.

"Doesn't he even have his shikai yet? What a shame!" Yoruichi said kicking Nekoru in the face.

_Heck, I did even manage to see her coming!_, Nekoru thought as he got hit by the kick (badly!) but managed to catch her leg. Then Yoruichi shunpo-ed.

_Senka: a special Shunpo technique where one moves to their opponents back. Directly attacking and sealing one's "__Saketsu__" and "__Hakusui__" in one strike. The movement is so fast that an opponent may not be able to tell whether he was attacked from the front or the back and even an outside observer may find it impossible to tell what the movements are._, Nekoru thought, remembering word after word the definition of the moves Yoruichi had just pulled onto him, and was knocked out on the spot. Yoruichi then picked him back and placed him in the position she had seen him the first time.

* * *

Several minutes later, Nekoru woke up. He noticed that he was mostly fine and he had the soul phone. Noticing it was in the same position he thought: _I must have dreamt of meeting Captain Yoruichi-sama… _

After a sigh, he said: "I'm such a loser!"

"Oh, buddy, cheer up!", another figure, hidden behind a large newspaper, told him_._

"Well, you must be right!", Nekoru said shaking his head.

"Of course I am! What happened of so bad to make you feel that down?", the figure asked.

"Oh… nothing! Well, okay, something happened! I think to have dreamt of chasing a girl, but I failed!", Nekoru said… only to be slapped by the figure

"Pervert!", he said.

"I deserved it!", Nekoru stated rubbing his face. He then noticed that his interlocutor was a bit upset as well.

"What's the matter, sir?", Nekoru politely asked.

"Well, nothing big. I don't want to bother you with my problems…. If they can ever be called problems, that's it!", the reader said.

Nekoru, spotting a pile of books next to his interlocutor, asked him: "It's about… philosophy?"

"Pretty much – he replied – I am trying to make a new one!"

"Hm… - Nekoru said pondering carefully- look, I know I am no big help, but first I would try to settle these three ideals: good, beauty, truth. Then you need to find people who are willing to share these ideals and one who will follow them, so even if you die, your philosophy will be immortal!"

Nekoru could not clearly see what the interlocutor was doing, but he thought he was nodding.

"Do you think that the survival of the species can be one of the main value?", he asked.

Before Nekoru could reply, his Soul Phone beeped.

"Well, sure, why not… Sorry, I have to go! See ya… Will be there next Thursday between 5pm-9pm? I think I might be here, bye!", Nekoru said in a rush shunpoing away. It wasn't a bad day, after all: Soifon had accepted with relative gladness the painting; he was soon going to take a painting at Matsumoto; he had made a new friend and the inspection had gone smooth. Now, if it wasn't for the pain he had on his chest, everything would have been great. Still, the pain was still there.

_I should go to the 4th division for a check_!, he thought returning to Soul Society.

* * *

Bookworm raised his head from the newspaper and looked at the direction Nekoru had gone. None of them had recognized the other's true nature, being too absorbed by their own businesses.

"What a nice guy!", he said as he opened a Garganta and entered inside Hueco Mundo.

The landscape of Hueco Mundo is a seemingly never-ending white desert, with dunes like those of the Sahara and no body of water. The desert is littered with what appear to be boulders and shrivelled trees, The atmosphere was filled with Reiryoku in the form of Reishi, but it is more concentrated, thus allowing smaller Hollows to gain nourishment despite the lack of Human souls.

Like that in real world deserts, active life in Hueco Mundo appears to be few and far between. Hollows generally seem to dwell below the surface or in other areas until something provokes them to leave their shelter, like the intrusion of a foreign entity. According to the Shinigami, all Hollows dwell in Hueco Mundo regardless of their shape, size, or power. But their information were incomplete: Bookworm had seen several hollows who preferred exploring the surrounding area or just relaxing, and he was one of them… unless somebody dared touch his books, of course!

But now he needed Hueco Mundo to travel into a specific area. He reached one of the most relatively kind hollows who was there. His name was the rather mocking 'Guts', due to his tendency to house things and smaller hollows. Bookworm asked her for information to find a site in the human world where there had been most recently a war, reasoning that there could be a large number of hollows willing to follow him.

As Guts provided him the information, Bookworm ran to the place and found a wasteland in a state no better than Hueco Mundo itself.

_And they call 'us' monsters,_ he thought as he inspected the area from above. He then heard an odd crying… it seemed to come from a little girl. Taken by curiosity, he landed near the place the sound seemed to be coming from: a large, half-destroyed shed.

"Mommy…", the voice cried. It then stopped as she felt Bookworm's presence.

"Mommy?", she repeated as she reached the place where the hollow was. Bookworm a little surprised as he saw that the little girl was actually a not-so-little hollow: she was a large black lizard-like beast with eight legs. Her face had an elaborate mask with ten parallel horns and sharp teeth, which showed only her purple eyes. On her chest there was her large hollow hole. Bookworm out of instinct looked at his own hole: it was separated in two halves, one for each end.

_Quite fitting an hole to represent something called 'hollow'_, the Adjuchas mused to himself

"You are not moomy!", the hollow said looking at Bookworm.

Bookworm nodded and promptly replied: "Indeed, I am your new daddy!"

The lizard looked at him for several seconds before finally showing a child-like joy by clapping and letting out a childish: "YAYYYYYYYYYYY! Daddy! What is your name, daddy?"

"Well, people call me Bookworm – the bat like Adjuchas said – but my true name is Mendocera Estebanez!"

"YAYYYYYY, Meido-chan! – the other hollow said mispronouncing the name – my name is Marina Juanitas!"

"Beautiful name, Marina!", Mendocera said kindly, not minding the mispronounce: he was trying to get her on his side, after all.

"Can we go to mum? She looks like an hourglass!", she asked still with her childish voice. Bookworm jumped onto her and started using her like a steed.

_A child can be quite useful! Her mind is malleable enough to turn her into my perfect successor!_, Mendocera thought as he opened the Garganta.

"Can we find other food later, Meido-chan? There were yummy things I found here!", she asked.

"Don't worry Marina… You'll be able to eat a lot alongside me!", Bookworm replied.

"YYAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!", Marina repeated again entering inside Hueco Mundo

* * *

Now, Nekoru thought that his pain in the chest/back would have taken a rather brief medical visit, but, as he presented himself to Hanataro, the 7th seat had looked progressively more worried, to the point that at first he called the lieutenant of the fourth division, a tall, young looking woman and has short silver hair, Isane Kotetsu, and immediately after both of them called the captain herself, a very youthful woman with blue eyes and black hair, Retsu Unohana.

A bit upset, as the check up had been lasting an hour, Nekoru asked: "Is it gonna take long?"

Retsu Unohana, despite keeping her gentle composure, looked and him, saying: "It does not matter how much it takes, Mei-san. Your health is top priority right now"

Somehow, the gentle look turned into a second into a death glare which pierced Nekoru's stare, which sent him through a state of innate fear which completely paralyzed him, allowing the captain to fully check him up. She then raised a serious brow as she saw the wound in question.

"What have you done today?", she asked worryingly.

Understanding the question, Nekoru replied: "Well, I fought a pair of hollows, but I purified them quite easily!"

"Well, they nearly got their lucky shot on you. Your "Saketsu " and "Hakusui" have almost been sealed!", Unohana said.

Worried, Nekoru asked: "Well, and how much serious is the situation?"

Unohana replied: "In a Shinigami, the Saketsu acts as a boost to spiritual power, in conjunction with the Hakusui , the source of spiritual power. These two points are commonly considered pressure points. If they are pierced, they seal up this spiritual power, and the Shinigami will lose all their power. The Shingami who experiences this… will never be a Shinigami again!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	5. Hollow Friendship

**Hollow Friendship**

**

* * *

**

Nekoru took a book, his gigai and the necessary equipment. Routine jobs had become more fun since he made a new friend. So, once he had purified half a dozen of hollows and sent in Soul Society as many Pluses, he went to a bench at the park and waited.

"Ehi buddy – a voice said waving at him – wrong bench!"

"Sorry!"; Nekoru said recognizing his friend's voice,

"Hello!", Nekoru in his gigai said waving at Mendocera, who was still covered by the newspaper.

"Hi buddy!", the Adjuchas said to the shinigami. They had been frequenting each other for several months. Anytime Nekoru had a pause during his work, he paid a visit to what he didn't know what was an Hollow that could accidentally mask his aura while he reads. Also

"How is your adoptive daughter?", Nekoru asked

* * *

_"Hi, Marina!", Mendocera said waving at her._

_The giant lizard-like hollow smiled and raised her head from the half-eaten carcass of an hollow and said: "Yes, Meido-chan?"_

_"I brought some presents!", he said bringing a body of a blonde woman._

_"YAY! Boobies! Mommy had boobies", she said looking at the body and childishly clapping. Mendocera smiled at this._

_"This is a GIGAI, an artificial body! You can walk around with it with nobody attacking or staring at you!", he said_

_"THANK YOU; MEIDO-CHAN! YAYYYY!"; Marina enthusiastically said. Mendocera smiled: he had to fight a lot against those meddlesome shinigami to get that gigai… and much more trouble to get his own, one of a red haired youth._

_"Now I'm going! Be Careful!", he said as he opened a Garganta, ready to go to the Transition world._

_"HAI! BYE MEIDO-CHAN!", she said waving at him and finishing up the corpse._

_

* * *

_

"She's fine!", Mendocera said.

"She must be a sweet daughter", he said thinking to a cute little girl.

"Well, I think she's the most beautiful things with legs to have ever existed!", he replied, thinking of his successor, a giant black eight-legged lizard donning a skulled mask with eight giant horns. He thought she could really become a pinnacle of 'Hollow beauty' of his philosophy.

"I am happy of this!", Nekoru cheerfully said.

After a long laugh, the hollow asked: "Anyway, switching topic… what about your exams? Did you finally pass it?"

At this question, Nekoru froze for a second. Of course, he had never revealed to Bookworm that he meant about Shikai, but it was still a sore memory... bu he still had something to say...

"No, not yet – he admitted – but I have been making some progresses...!"

* * *

_Nekoru once more focused on his zanpakuto, placing it on his lap, focusing once more._

_"C'mon, Zanpakuto! Don't be so childish. Lemme talk to you... lemme stay in your inner world", he thought aloud._

_Those thoughts echoed in his head like a mantra and, eventually, another voice echoed for a few second, surprising even Nekoru._

"No way... you are too scary!",_ it said, making Nekoru snap back to reality._

"_What?", he muttered confused. Despite all the following hours, he could not hear no further words from him._

_

* * *

_

"I see! Progressions... evolutions – Mendocera said – something you earn, usually through fear, after years of struggles in exchange of a self-improvement!"

"I thought evolution was achieved though survival. It's through courage you evolve, not out of fear!", he said.

Mendocera did not agree very much to this statement, but just let out a shrug and a glare, which made Nekoru shiver at it.

"As you wish! - he hissed – but it's better than most of my place!".

"How it is? Do you have an overbearing land-owner?", Nekoru asked.

* * *

_A towering demoniacal skeleton sat on a throne, wearing a black coat and a golden crown, and was surrounded by a whole flocks of Adjuchas, some even more powerful than Bookworm himself._

"_Listen to me, mere insects! I am Barragan Luisenbarn. Now I proclaim myself God-King of Hueco Mundo. My will shall be eternal and my word shall be law... if you want to escape, just find a place where I can't see you from here... but remember that from here, from Las Noches, nobody can escape from my sight!", he claimed clenching his skeletal fists._

_

* * *

_

"More like a despotic tyrant!", Mendocera stated.

"Exaggerated!", Nekoru replied, thinking it was a joke.

"Well – the shinigami continued – at least you have some friends there... alongside your daughter, of course!"

Mendocera thought for a while.

"I am not having time for friends... I had some... uh ... colleagues, but we never went beyond a professional rapport. Most of them are greedy arrogant monsters!", he said.

"You have a too pessimistic view of life! - Nekoru stated - You should get out more often... or at least get a girl!"

Just before he could finish his speech, Mendocera gave him a powerful slap.

"Pervert!", Mendocera said.

"I deserved it! - he said rubbing his cheek – but you should quit calling me such!".

"YOU ARE A PERVERT! YOU DREAM OF GIRLS BEATING YOU UP!", Bookworm stated.

"Only once!", Nekoru retorted.

"... OH, AND HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY YOUR LATEST DRAWING?", he asked.

At this, the shinigami boy blushed.

* * *

_Nekoru was drawing, both to relax from a fatiguing day of paperwork and to finish the commissions for the second division. At least, both Omaeda and Sui Feng had expressed a liking for his work, when Rangiku, after about an hour, showed stumbling and holding bottles of Sake _

_"What's up Nekoru?" she said drunkenly._

_Without rising his head, he simply replied: "Just working. Nothing less!"_

_With a boing-like sound, she slurred: "I decided to make the painting!"._

_It was then that, facing at her, the boy said with a smile: "Oh, well, glad of it! Take a pose and I'll take a portrait of you, lieutenant Matsumoto-san!"_

_So Rangiku, obeying him, did a sexy pose and half sexily and half drunken: "How about this?"_

_Nekoru could not help but blush, not being immune to feminine charm (or, as some guys called it MMM: Matsumoto's Mammaria Majores), but made a hesitant nod._

"_S-s-s-sure! You can take any pose you wish!", he said embarrassingly taking the paintbrush from his ear and started painting. The most difficult part of the drawing was, funnily enough, her hair._

_After some minutes, Matsumoto asked in a bored tone: "Done with it?"_

"_Some minutes!", Nekoru replied. _

_After two hours, Nekoru drew a flower saying:"And now... my signature!"_,

_"I'm done!", he concluded handing the scroll to the lieutenant_

_"Thank you Nekoru!" Rangiku said hugging him and leaving._

_After blinking seceral times, finally gaining sentence back, he declared in a whisper: "Now I think to know how Captain Hitsugaya-sama feels around her!"_

_

* * *

_

"Oh, it was nothing!", he said with a deeper blush.

Just before he could finish his statement, Mendocera gave him another slap.

"Pervert!", Mendocera said again.

"I deserved it!", he said rubbing his cheek once more, having an odd feeling of deja-vu.

"Still, you know buddy, - Nekoru said – you should take things easier. If you don't see the bright side of life, it will crush you!"

Mendocera heard the shinigami's statement and narrowed his eyes.

_Bright side of life, he said? What kind of a sappy spineless girl was that boy? Bright side of life? It seems like I am hearing a five years old kid, _the hollow said. He lived in Hueco Mundo, the hollow world: there was nothing bride. The sun never rose, the hollows, himself included, were mostly heartless creatures born from fear and rage. They lived with the thought of eating and getting eaten. Need? It did not matter you could live by not living.

"Surely, why not? Think of life as something all cheery and childish with fairy and unicorns... don't go and complain to me once reality will crush you!", he said venomously. Nekoru blinked his eyes several times as he heard his friend's statement.

_W-w-what? - _he wondered – _I just made a proposal to cheer him up, and he attacks with such aggressiveness?_

"I don't say you have to see the world as only unicorns, rainbow and sugar! - Nekoru replied calmly, avoiding to make his friend snap – but you have to see the bright side of light at least once. Pessimism, optimist, every single excess is wrong, it makes you lose touch with reality! It's not always perpetual night!"

Mendocera hissed, but regained his composure.

"I see your point, this time… but, in my opinion, you are wrong… this world is seriously messed up, and, where I live, it's ALWAYS perpetual night… Even despite I used to be as optimist as you, my world is changing me… and more than once I am on the verge of surrendering!"; Mendocera said bowing down his head, with an hint of bitterness.

"Well, I understand… I am sorry… I don't know what to say!", Nekoru apologized, genuinely concerned with his friend. He had actually been turning more and more bitter as the time passed by, he ironically feared Mendocera could become an hollow once he would die, not knowing it had already happened. Instead, Bookworm turned at him and let out a soft smile.

"It's okay… I am getting used to it!"; he said.

_That's what I fear the most!,_ the young shinigami thought.

"I see!", the boy sighed, deciding to give up. He was still pretty tired after a whole routine of purification of souls and preferred not to deal with even psychological problem… at least not today.

"Anyway – Mendocera asked – switching topic, have you finally finished 'Brave New World'?"

"I have finished it just today! Nice book, though not my genre of book. It was nice to see the way Shakespeare's quote managed to blend with a story set into a far future!"

"Indeed! You know, I have never managed to finish it… Every time, for a coincidence or another… and I always restart it from the beginning", Mendocera said shrugging.

"Well, if we meet next time, I might hand it to you!", Nekoru said letting out a large smile, to which the hollow just nodded.

"Sure – he replied with a sigh – I find it rather amusing! What about tomorrow?"

The shinigami bowed his head and sadly replied: "No, actually, I have a lot of work left over! I am sorry! I think I will remain home for all the week! I am truly sorry. Plus, I am really determined to pass the exam…. Sorry, but…"

"It's okay! Next week! I will stay with my daughter!"; Mendocera said with calm.

"You truly are a great father!", Nekoru said standing up and preparing to go away.

"I am not as cracked up to be!", Mendocera said with a shug and standing up as well, mirroring the shinigami.

_After all, the one reason I am fathering Marina is because I need a young one to follow and serve me!_, Mendocera admitted to himself.

"See ya, pal!", he said with a smile waving at the hollow.

"Very well, buddy…. Next week!"; Mendocera cheerfully said.

* * *

As long as they were out of each other's sight. They let out a large smile and a sigh. They were having a relatively suffocating life, but now, they had their private moments to talk and had a surprisingly high cathartic effect… Sure, they still had to struggle with their life, Nekoru had to maintain two different jobs, while Mendocera had his "hollow" life, the cruel tyranny of Barragan with a set of rules which basically could be summed up in three words: 'Eat, or be eaten'.

Mendocera actually hated this rules, as they hindered his philosophy: how could the hollows live and survive happily if they were to eat each other, instead of focusing on the true threat, the shinigami? Those creatures were to be killed first, then the Transient world and the Soul Society had to be conquered and, finally once they were done, settle down a way to create a perfect world where any hollow could live in peace.

All of sudden, a scream invaded his thoughts and made him snap back to reality.

"MEIDO-CHAAAAAAAAN!", the voice of Marina screamed.

Mendocera widened his eyes and rushed as she saw Marina who was being strangled by an enormous pink colored Adjuchas with a demonic mask at least twice his own size. At first, he was going to retreat and let Marina to her doom: she could have always been replaced by another hollow. He then recognized the Adjuchas, and his mind was filled with Rage. He extended his wings, let out a sonic roar which made both Marina and the Adjuchas stop and rushed at the latter, giving him a furious series of scratches and bites. The two hollows rolled down the hill, Marina far from them, hidden under a rock.

The fight was being vicious, Mendocera ripped off his left arm, while his foe with a powerful slash of his claws took out a part of his abdomen. They separated and shot at each other a Cero which resulted in a large explosion. Finally, the Adjuchas spoke.

"Apparently, no matter how much you evolve, you are still a shitty hollow!", Meltdown said letting out a wicked grin. It was mostly a ploy to buy time to regenerate his arm.

"SHUT UP, ROTOGA – Mendocera screamed so much the nearby rocks explode to pieces – YOU BASTARD! YOU SHOULD NOT TALK! 300 YEARS AGO, YOU NEARLY GOT US ALL KILLING WITH YOUR ESCAPE! YOU ARE LUCKY NNIOTRA HAS NOT MET YOU… HE PROMISED TO CHOP YOU TO PIECES, YOU KNOW IT!"

Meltdown, real name Rotoga, let out a large laugh.

"I don't care all all, Mendocera! I will surely take him down. Him and Tesla, that sick excuse of a minion", he replied… not noting Mendocera used this time to slash him in the chest. Of all the Hollows, Mendocera hated Rotoga the most for his foul mouth and complete lack of any redeeming qualities: he was even a coward, and was known by the other hollows to escape any time the situation was lousy for him. At least some HAD the decency to go down in a fight!

Rotoga shrieked and tried to bite Mendocera who lifted him up and used a Cero on him to destroy him, but Rotoga managed to dogde and kicked the Adjuchas on his chest, knocking him off his feet.

"Okay, shitty hollow… why so much hartred in me… could you have at least let me eat that hollow?", he said with a smirk as he had Mendocera's head under his hill…. It did not work very well, as Mendocera exploited this to bite him.

"Oh, I see! Do you want that hollow to live,, right? You stupid softie - Rotoga said kicking the hollow despite he was down – You forgot Barragan's law? You have to eat whoever is weaker than you! I am just doing what is rightful… maybe I'll take a bite of you!"

As he kept talking, Mendocera parried the kick and asked: " A question, then… what is that bite mark on your mask?"

At this, Rotoga froze. Mendocera exploited the situation to his advantage. He created another Cero, which fully hit Rotoga this time, and went all out against him.

"SO THAT'S THE MATTER, RIGHT? Ma… no, that hollow, bit your mask off? What were you doing, sleeping? – Mendocera mocked him as he kept unleaching a furious beatdown on him – Oh yes… you used to be a lazy bastard even back when you were a simple hollow? That's why you kept running away as soon as a shinigami was nearby, right? You are a shame for all the hollows! Bitten by a weaker one… and so, you try to eat her just because you could not deal with your defeat, right!".

With this, it was Rotoga's time to roar and parry.

"YES, I WAS SLEEPING WHEN SHE BIT MEl… AND THEN? YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND OF COURSE, MENDOCERA! – he said nearly slashing Mendocera's mask and starting holding his own against him – I hate you all! You act strong, but only one was destined to become strong, AND THAT'S ME! I AM ROTOGA, SOON TO BE VASTO LORDE!"

Mendocera parried and punched Rotaga in the stomach repeteadly.

"Vasto Lorde. Don't mock me… DON'T MOCK THAT WORD… Vasto Lorde Rotoga… it would be an insult to any creature living. You are a coward, coward and incompetent… true antithesis of what a TRUE Hollow should be! As Marina already ate part of your mask, well, she should eat the rest as well!", Mendocera mocked him.

"Also – Mendocera continued – having your mask bitten off means a stop of evolution… sorry, Rotoga, you'll never be a Vasto Lorde!"

In the meanwhile, Marina, who had been subject to eat a lot of reiatsu, had felt an intense heat and started suffering of pain. Mendocera heard her panting and turned for enough time to let an enraged Rotoga throw him away and was nearly going to kill her, as another Hollow put herself between Rotaga and Marina. She was a blonde haired dark-skinned hollow dressed in a cyan-colored plated armor and on her arm a giant blade fused to her arm which looked like a shark tooth.

As Rotoga saw her, promptly recognized it was a Vasto Lorde and got scared. He was going to escape as Mendocera grabbed him from behind.

"YOU:…. COWARD!"; he screamed as he threw Rotoga across the horizon and balsted him with a Cero.

With a last hissing of victory, Mendocera turned to the Vasto Lorde and looked surprised at her.

"Tia Harribel?", he wondered.

The hollow simply nodded and then stated: "Now let this hollow go, sir… she's evolving!"

"Evolving… you mean…?", Mendocera said but was cut off by Marina's reiatsu suddenly increasing. The fact she had eaten a piece of an Adjuchas had given her such power she was able to cross the barriers between the first step of evolution (Hollow) to the second, Menos Grande.

She became of an impressive height and took a more humanoid shape. She appeared to have emerged as a dominant personality, luckily for Mendocera. As she looked surprised, she asked: "Meido-chan… why did Hueco Mundo shrink?"

Such a question made both Harribel and Mendocera sweatdrop.

"Actually… you 'grew up'", he said, as Marina looked around. He tried to step forward, but Harribel stopped him.

"You are not going to attack her!", she said, but Marina just run and hugged him, leaving the Vasto Lorde pleasantly surprised.

"There are others who care for the weaker ones!"; she said.

Actually, Mendocera did not require Marina's affection, but he did not wish to deny what the Vasto Lorde said, so he nodded.

"Let's walk her to the Menos Forest!", Harribel stated and Mendocera obeyed as they headed along with the giant little girl to the Menos Forest

* * *

Nekoru looked again at the watch.

"Odd, she should be here… I spent so much time making this drawing….", he thought aloud as he refined the floppy ears. He then lookec again at the clock.

"Well, surely she must have been very busy these days! But it's odd. Rukia Kuckichi is usually timely! – he kept wondering – I have not seen her for three days at least!"

For a second, he conjured odd scenarios, but shortly after he let out a shrug.

"It must be nothing… very well, next drawing!", he stated

TO BE CONTINUED...


	6. Turning point

**Turning point**

Marina was aimlessly walking around the Menos Forest, chanting in her usual childish voice. It was a rather dangerous place, but thanks to Marina's voraciousness she'd always come to the top. She also very often met another centaur-like hollow which was much stronger than her and never tried to eat out of childish fear and admiration: she went there to visit other two Menos Grande she had never met, but Marina held her in high regard. She had even deduced that, as she had not been seeing her for a long while, that those Menos must have evolved into Adjuchas Too bad she never remembered their names.

"I am the baby, gotta love me…", she said as she stopped seeing an half beaten up hollow. She let out a smile as she licked her own lips. She had grown a bit hungry that day, and that other hollows she had eaten had not filled her stomach. It was usual for her seeing hollow half beaten up around her, and, despite she was a naïve child, she was not stupid and happily realized who had been the responsible of this series of corpses. Before eating she looked at the night sky and from her mask shed a tear out of gratitude.

"Thank you… Meido-chan!", she said as she resumed eating. She knew that they would have always been together.

* * *

Mendocera looked at the sky and let out a smirk as he saw Marina eating the hollow. His plan was going as smooth as he hoped. His child was growing up… soon she would have been an Adjuchas, while he would have become a Vasto Lorde, of the likes of Tia Harribel and King Barragan. Soon he could have come closer to the top of the chain food Hueco Mundo and could changed the world as he wanted: a world of hollow peace, with Marina besides him and who would have taken his place someday.

_Children… They grow up so quickly, _the Adjuchas mused as he flew away: he truly wished to read another book… After all, he had finally reached the last chapter of 'Brave New World' and was truly interested in seeing how it would have ended. Unfortunately, fate had other projects.

He saw four figures below him. All of them were dressed in white and were wielding a weapon of sort. The leader of the group, who was also the tallest, seemed to have a mask which completely covered his face. He knew their familiar signature spiritual pressure: those meddlesome shinigami were now reaching Hueco Mundo? How… ARROGANT of them!

_Now they even try to break in our sanctuary, the place where the greatest utopia of all the times will be made, where I will create a universal peace… All that just to slaughter innocent hollows who killed only to survive…. NO, I am not going to allow it…. They'll pay, I swear on my honor as a hollow_, he said opening his maws and aiming at them. Small particles of reiatsu concentrated in his mouth and he changed up the strongest Cero he had ever made, such it was his rage in seeing them. The Beige Blast went at full speed against the figures clad in white, who just then noticed the attack and its creator. One of them, all covered in a white cloack stared at it and generated a second Blast going against Mendocera's attack.

As Mendocera was overwhelmed by its power, his eyes widened as he recognize that it was actually….

_ANOTHER CERO_, he thought just in time to avoid the deadly ray of energy. It was too late now: the men in white had seen him and now were shooting a barrage of attack, all similar to Mendocera's Cero, all in different color: pink, red, violet and green. He managed to dodge most of them, but the fourth destroyed his left wing, causing him to pummel down to a cliff.

"We got him!"; the masked leader said to his subordinates, a well built man with a face resembling a stereotypical devil and a girl resembling a gothic Lolita witht purple-colored hair, purple-colored eyes, black fingernails and light purple teardrop markings on each cheek, and his cloaked second in command

"That was rude! – the girl complained – he nearly made me show my panties!"

"Told ya you should wear armor under it, bitch!", the cloaked man said with a sadistic laugh, to which the girl hissed in rage.

"C'mon, guys! – the tall man said separating them and making inexplicably a pose – don't quarrel. Let's remember our objective: you all need to help ME catching that hollow! Oh, yeah, and you too"

The masked leader nodded as he took his weapon, a a deformed arm-like appendage with many sprouting tentacles that was concealed in his left hand under his glove.

"The buffon's right! Let's move! – he said with a echoing voice – That hollow is nearby… in the best case, he'll be a great addiction to our master's collection. Otherwise, he will be a delicious meal! The hunt…. BEGINS!"

The cloacked figure nodded and faced the direction Mendocera had fallen and was the first to move at an impressive speed rivaling Shunpo. Under his cloak, there was a wicked grin and last for revenge. The other followed him suit.

In the meanwhile, Mendocera had managed to land rather gracefully from his fall and stood up, looking at the figures. He had no doubt they were shinigami, and the fact they had managed to hit him had made him angrier, as he saw the first, he unleashed a demonic sonic scream which nearly stunned him, but he got punched in the gut by the large man, forcing him to back away. Now his wing had regenerated so he could fly off again and shot them from above, but he still needed a bit to extend his wings and take an altitude tall enough so that he couldn't just glide but outright fly. All of them followed him suit attacking him with their swords, which Mendocera manged to deflect though not without getting several times slashed in zones of his armor.

_Those bastard… now they even try to use pseudo Hollow mask. Who is gonna buy them? They are even incomplete. I don't know if it is an attempt to imitate us or disguise, but whatever, it's just a pathetic attempt, _ he thought in rage slashing with his claws part of the outfit of the large man. To his horror, his skin was not scratched at all, and actually it was his claw to break, so he finally resumed flying away to a safe distance.

Once he was high enough, he got ready to shot a Cero, but as soon as he charged, the cloacked figure created a smaller reiatsu blast and shot it in the mouth, causing Mendocera's Cero to explode at blank point. Now wounded he stood up holding his abdomen, using all his willpower to fly away from them.

"No way you escape, you coward!"; the woman said taking her weapon, a whip and wrapping it around the neck of the Adjuchas, strangling him and pulling him to the ground, making him violently slam. As soon as he got up, all of the men in white had encircled him, all of them staring at him with a malevolent and sadistic look. Mendocera tried to hit the girl in retalion, but she tightened the grip on his neck and the cloacked man slashed his back. As he bit off the whip, he kicked in the face by the large man. Managing to back off, he went wrathfully against their leader, who stodd still till he was close enough. Then, all of sudden, he impaled Mendocera's stomach with one hand and ripped off his arm with the other, making him fall to his knees, where all of them kicked him down.

"YEAH! We are awesome!", the large man said making a large show of himself and killing the mood of all the combatants. The only one who didn't mind was the defeated Adjuchas.

Now battered, bloody and humiliated, Mendocera was lying on a pool of his own blood waiting for the finishing attack when the cloaked man pulled him by his hair and laughed.

"Surprised, Mendocera?", the man asked sardonically laughing. Mendocera twitched a bit to the surprise they knew his true name and did not call him by his moniker 'Bookworm'…. This until he recognized his voice.

"Ro… toooo…..gaa…."; Mendocera panted, his mouth coughing up some blood.

The cloacked man pulled down his hood and revealed his face. Dressing in a white cape, and as little clothing as he can, he had a well toned and androgynous body. He was tall, bald and pale skinned, but still kept his hollow sharp claws. He was missing his left forearm, which was replaced by a blade. A tattoo with the numer 4 was placed on his right shoulder, and his hollow hole was placed on his right tight. But it was the face he was looking at the most. Rotoga had most of his mask intact, with the exception of his right cheek and side of the mouth. His mask was very humanoid in appearance, and it looks like the phantom of the opera's. And of course the bite mark on his chin, made by Marina.

Except for the lower half he was donning Rotoga's mask, and his voice was his own. Mendocera, recognizing his foe, tried to understand the why Rotoga had changed his appearance and managed to formulate a theory!

"You turned into a shinigami, didn't you….? – he asked – what a coward you…"

Before he could complete the sentence, Rotoga kneeled him into the stomach, making him spit more blood.

"No no no… you are wrong, you shitty hollow! I have turned into something higher than even a Vasto Lorde… I am… an Arrancar! I ripped off my mask and gained shinigami powers… I am now Rotoga Marieron, Cuarta Espada!"

Mendocera looked him with an incredulous stare and actually replied: "You are full of shit…."

"Don't you believe…? – Rotaga interrupted him kicking him again - then look around and tell me if you don't recognize these hollow"

He turned the bat-like face to his comrades and pointed at the female: "Cirucci Sanderwicci, Cuinta Espada! Dordonii Alessandro del Socacchio, Tercera Espada! And last, our leader… Aaroniero Arrureie, Primera Espada…"

At this he interrupted for a while as Aaroniero took off his mask,. In place of a normal head, he had a large, glass cylindrical capsule filled with red liquid and two small, floating Hollow heads. The two heads were both tattooed with the number 1. Mendocera's eyes widened to this horror. He could not forget Aaroniero's freaky previous aspect…. Rotoga was right, they were no shinigami anymore.

"How…", Mendocera panted, but again was violently interrupted by Aarionero.

"HOW ON EARTH… Well, Mendocera…. You'll never know it. It is the last of you! And MARINA IS NEXT"; he said raising his sword and swinging it to his neck, all intent to behead the Adjuchas who had humiliated him years ago. Incredibly enough, Mendocera, despite being an inch to death, used the hand on his wing and his power and blocked him.

"Rotoga…. You bastard…", he said as his strength started fading. Yet the blade stood by, not managing to advance and kill him

"Socacchio! WHY ARE YOU STOPPING ME?", Rotoga hissed in rage.

Dordonii looked at him and replied; "Rotoga, haven't you seen. This hollow fought off against all of us , kept fighting despite he was outmatched and now, despite you had him by his throat, kept blocking your attacks and talk you off! This guy earned the right to live!"

Rotoga hissed in rage as he heard what he said, but, as Dordonii was the Tercera Espada, he could not talk off. Upgrades of powers or not, Rotoga remained a coward.

"Does he has to be turned into one of us?", Rotoga asked to which his superior nodded

"Ah ah ah! You deserve it, you shitty moron!", Cirucci said to Rotoga, in retaliation to his underpants comment. Aaroniero stood silent, not really caring about it. Mendocera had a little smile, and hoped to get released soon

Rotoga's stared turned to Mendocera and hardened and slammed him against the ground.

"Can he at least be my slave?"; he said with a malicious grin.

Dordonii shrugged: "Your fraccion, you mean? I don't see why not!"

Mendocera's eyes turned into fear.

"No, no no!"; he said scared. He now preferred to be killed rather than become Rotoga's slave, but nobody listened to him and Rotoga put his hands over the bat-like mask.

"Off with your face, Mendocera!"; the arrancar said with a first pull. Mendocera screamed in pain and fear.

"No, no… Nooo! Don't do it! Mercy!", he said trying to move his numb limbs against the sadistic Arrancar, but Rotoga pulled him another time, as all the spectators ignored his pleas.

"I don't want to lose my hollowity! I want to be an Hollow! All Values Are Hollow! Stop it, stop!"; he screamed as the mask was slowly cracking. Mendocera was feeling horrible: he felt to be about to die, with the difference that he would have not been dead, but something much worse in his eyes... not an hollow anymore! Rotoga in the meanwhile was pulling more and more violently his mask as it slowly cracked to pieces.

_I don't want to be a human… please stop it…. Marina…_

The other Espada kept looking at the process until Mendocera's mask was ripped off. What Mendocera saw was….that everything had faded into black. A pillar of light shot up the sky along with the scream which invoked death itself

_What the hell… _- he thought trying to see himself – _what_ _is what I feel? Grass? And this thing so supple? My skin…. Unconceivable… where is my armor? I don't feel it… stop with the pain… the breeze… FEELING IS HORRIBLE! I am an hollow, I AM AN HOLLOW! I don't want to be a human _

His body was now humanoid-looking, muscled as any average arrancar, tall about 5' 6'' with the only difference was the two halves hollow hole on his hands, the oddly long brown hair and the mask… well, placed in a truly cruel way.

The smoke faded, but Mendocera was still walking aimlessly.

"Where I am? I … can't see anything… HELP HELP! Anyone?", he said trying to walk into any of them, but failing. Everything was now black.

"Oops! Apparently… something remained on your eyes!"; Rotoga said laughing… It was horribly true, as some fragment of Mendocera's mask had pierced through his eyes, completely blinding him.

Mendocera looked around aimlessly. "Help! Anyone!"; he said as he tripped. Cirucci was slightly disgusted by the fact he was naked and threw on him a cloak which covered his nudity. Mendocera clumsily tried to put it on, with all of them staring. Dordonii stare hardened at the cruelty, but did not meddle in it, as it was not his business.

"You truly are a monster, Rotoga! **One who truly serve a great cause**", Aaroniero mused sadistically with both head talking togheter.

"Thank you master! - Rotoga said, then faced Mendocera and picked him by his neck to throw him off the ground, being blind the new arrancar made no resistence – come on, slave, follow me!"

He then pulled him as the other Espada went looking for other hollows to catch and/or kill.

* * *

Despite his blindess, it was not a great hunt, as Mendocera could hear from their dialogue, they ended up fighting three hollow which were not worth living. They then reached their master and bowed in front of him.

"Hail, Master!", they all said in unison, to which he replied with a gesture of his hand. It was then Mendocera felt something odd…. From the blackness he could see… spots. Yes, shapeless spots off odd colors. He faced the hand of Rotoga which was holding him, and saw a green spot which continued. He then saw spots of the same colors of the Cero he was shot down by.

Mendocera incredibly faced the leader. He could easily recognize such a reiatsu and frowned.

"Shinigami!"; he hissed. Rotoga faced him and looked him with an inquired look.

"What I have in front me… one…. No, three shinigami…. The one at center has one of the highest pressures I've ever felt… though the one on his right just gives me chills by facing him…. Are they your masters, Rotoga?", he said

_I've always said you are nothing but a wimpering coward…. Bowing down in front of shinigami…,_ he thought.

The shinigami at the center had swept back hair, with a strand hanging in his face, and a menacing stare, and looked at the new Arrancar passively amused.

"Just one arrancar?"; he asked them.

Another shinigami let out a comment. His overall appearance, however, is not as normal. He keeps his eyes constantly narrowed to slits rarely ever opening his eyes Although he appeared to be an early to mid twenty-year-old person, he was unusually thin and tall with very sharp features giving him a skeletal appearance. He bore unusual silver hair.

"Look Tosen! It's another one like you: blind", he said to his companion. 'Tosen', a dark-skinned with dark brown braids pupil-less lavender-colored eyes grunted at the comment, not amused at all.

"Well, if he can't see…. I don't see why we should keep him!", the leader said nonchalantly and giving a thumb down.

Rotoga smirked and raised his blade. Mendocera 'saw' the green sword-shaped spot and dodged it with some difficulty. Enraged, the Espada was about to hit him and would have succeeded if it wasn't for a golf clap let out by the leader.

"Interesting… tell me, Arrancar! Look at your companion and tell me… are they shinigami or hollow?", he said turning at Mendocera.

Mendocera faced them… when he first saw them, he had mistaken them for shinigami…. But now it was different. He could 'see' the truth now

"Quite intriguing question… Ironically, their hollow power reside much more in their weapons than in their body…. Most of it is stored around a precise zone… as of the rest, they nearly seem genuine shinigami like you!", he said.

The shinigami leader smirked at his, turned at Tosen which replied with a nod. Mendocera had guessed correctly.

"Interesting! Good job Espadas! You got a nice Fraccion", Aizen mused. Rotofa was furious for this, and was actually plotting revenge.

"Ichimaru, lead him to our lab… he might be subject to some… interesting experiment soon!", the leader whispered to whom Mendocera assumed was the third shinigami.

"Welcome aboard, sir!", Ichimaru said with a chilling voice

* * *

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER….

Nekoru layed again in his bed… well, not actually his bed, but the one he had been placed in the headquarters of the 4th division. Several week had passed, but he was wondering how he could have screwed it up so much? It was a mere attack on Soul Society, but somehow it had turned into a true mess.

So many casualties… and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Apparently, he had been wrong. Rukia Kuckichi's disappearance caused A LOT of ruckus. Indeed, it was discovered she had disappeared because she had given her powers to a human being, a law which is severe in Soul Society, to the point to be met with the capital punishment, which did not simply meant death sentence, but destruction of your own soul.

This was already frightening enough, right? Yes, but nobody could expect the unfolding events. A series of Ryoka all of sudden popped out inside Soul Society! At first everybody did not mind them as nobody thought they were greatly powerful… until one of them defeated the 3rd seat of the 11th division, Ikkaku Madarame, who everybody knew he was strong than most vice-captains. Cue mass 'Oh Crap!'

This prompted the one and onmly captain of the 11th division to arrive, Zaraki Kenpachi, which managed to draw back his opponent, but not at the cost of go into a tie. This was unheard of: KENPACHI LOSING? He had never lost before.

The situation worsened, as it was revealed the name of the lead Ryoka: Kurosaki Ichigo. Particular sign: orange hair, a physical appearance which should not have belonged to his age (only 15 years old) and a gigantic zanpakuto.

Eventually, Nekoru came face to face up against Ichigo Kurosaki… the problem is that he was not even aware that the guy was Ichigo Kurosaki, he was aware he was facing him. The setting was the following. Ichigo was rushing once more against the Sereitei, easily defeating every single shinigami (most of them unranked) who crosses his path. Nekoru just saw a spinster with an orange top which went at full speed against him and who knocked him out in a single blow, slamming him against several building in the process.

When he woke up, he was in the bed of the fourth division… could it have gone worse… of course. From what he heard from outside, there was a civil war in Soul Society as several captain slowly sided with the Ryoka Ichigo Kurosaki, up to and including captain Joshiro Ukitake, Shunsui Kyoraku and Kenpachi.

But the top cherry was another: everything was planned by Aizen, who along with captain Ichimaru and Tosen had plotted practically everything happening until that moment to get a special thing stored inside Rukia's soul… when he first heard all this story, could not believe it all all. Aizen … EVIL? Ichimaru was rather obvious, but Aizen?

It was then he remembered something.

"_I would like to have a drawing of the most detailed map possible of the whole Soul Society, especially the Sereitei! Take your time, though! I can wait even for a century! Also, no need to be so formal: Aizen will suffice", Aizen kindly said with a friendly laughter._

_THAT BASTARD! – _Nekoru realized – _He was planning it all along… I was just a pawn for him… crap… it's incredible but it cements a thing…. I am too weak!_

All of sudden, a shinigami went to him. Nekoru recognized him.

"Kotsubaki-san?", he asked him.

"Hi, Mei-san! Are you okay?"; the 3rd seat said, and Nekoru replied by scratching his head and letting out a nod.

Nekoru finally spoke: "Just some pain, but Isane said I am okay!"

"Good, because my captain wants to meet you!", the 3rd seat said. Nekoru's eyes blinked as he heard this. Ukitake wanted to meet him.

"Ukitake?", he asked

"Yes!"

"Captain Ukitake"

"Yes!"

"Me?"

"Trust me, Mei-san… Captain Ukitake wants to meet you, Nekoru Mei, painter and shinigami!", he said.

Nekoru nodded.

"Okay, then! Place and hours", he asked. As he got his reply, he stood up and started running to the 13th division, as he heard Sentaru cheering the fact he had beaten his co-third seat into this task.

* * *

He sped up and finally found Ukitake in one of his healing chamber. Ukitake is a tall gren-eyed man with a somewhat emaciated appearance, caused by an illness which occasionally causes him to cough up blood.

"Greeting, Captain Joshiro Ukitake-sama! Here is Nekoru Mei, as you called me", he said bowing down in front of the captain.

"Mei-san! No need to be so formal… you can just call me Ukitake-san!"; the white haired captain kindly said facing Nekoru with his green eye. That man truly oozed kindness and pure gentility, but Nekoru couldn't help but feel intimidated by this sudden calling.

"So, sir… why have you contacted me?", he asked.

"Well, the mission is rather long to describe… We want you as an undercover agent for the next mission! Nobody knows of your presence but the leader of the mission, Toshiro Hitsugaya!", he said.

Nekoru's eyes blinked.

"W-wh-wh-wh-wh-what? We? Me? Nobody? Next mission?", he repeated confused.

"Yes, indeed, we captains discussed and chose you… you are among the best unseated shinigami for the mission!", he explained

"I just don't understand!", he repeated confused

Ukitake smiled and taking a deep breath explained: "Recently Karakura town has been subject to attacks by Hollow-shinigami hybrids commanded by Aizen, who have shown to be considerably strong. To support Kurosaki Ichigo, we are sending a team of seated members led by captain Hitsugaya…. But we fear it might not be enough, so Yamamoto decided to send another shinigami which might be used as an additional member. You, Mei-san, are a wild card to Aizen. He doesn't know you very much, nor your extent of your power, while you knew him as you are member of the staff of the Shino Academy. Plus, you won't be hindered by the problem of using only a fifth of your strength in the human world. You'll surely be of great help in case of a second attack! The mission is so secret we decided not even to have you contacted by Yamamoto in person"

Nekoru tried to object, wanted to tell him he did not have Shikai but he was unable to reply. He could not refuse. Ukitake was a captain, Nekoru was a subordinate.

"Roger, Captain Joshiro Ukitake-sama!", he said.

"Thank you, Mei-san - he said – you'll leave tomorrow for Karakura town. Here you'll have to go to the Karakura High School! There you'll meet Zennosuke Kurumadani, which will give you further details for the mission… we all are counting on you"

Nekoru closed his eyes to make see Ukitake they had widened. He had only a clear thought in his mind

_Crap_

TO BE CONTINUED….


	7. Trascendence

_Before starting, I dedicate this chapter to __Salvo of the Sound Road__! Get well soon, Salvo : )_

**Seventh chapter: Transcending**

* * *

"You know what to do", Aizen said calmly at Mendocera who was facing him.

The Arrancar still looked at his benefactor with distrust and disgust… He would have never done what Aizen was asking him. Such a filthy act was too low for an Adjuchas, or rather, an Arrancar like him. He turned his stare away from the shinigami, not replying. He preferred death to THAT. But Aizen was not a ruler who wanted death to the one who defied. He rather was one who forced them to do his bidding, regardless their will.

"Most people would say you are very strong-willed to uphold your pride so much, arrancar – Aizen said standing up – but I'd consider your act as narrow-mindness. Indeed, you are an hollow, a being eaten from the inside by his own repressed rage and fear, it's easier to lie to you and to anyone else. But I can show you the way… give you a greater sight than the one you possessed before your evolution… just do it… BOW!"

At these words, Aizen's spiritual pressure grew and grew. Mendocera was impressed: what he felt was not anymore just the inner burning strength of a shinigami… he felt like he was gazing straight in the sun. His will made him last long: he couldn't bring himself to bow down before him. An Hollow… bowing to a lower creature? A scum like a shinigami? No matter what he would have done to him, no, Mendocera would not have falled, he couldn't deal with that. He kept looking impassively at the shinigami, but the more he showed his defiance, the more his body started betraying him. At last, his knees became two cups of jelly, not anymore able to hold the rest of his frame, as he crashed against the ground, kneeling before the immense spiritual power belonged to Aizen.

"Interesting. Apparently the reiatsu looker is truly unable to withstand Aizen – Ichimaru said – Wonder what he's seeing"

If Mendocera was not that busy to try to withstand Aizen, he would have replied that he was seeing a giant light flaming tentacles all tied up around him… He clenched his teeth in rage, making his lower lips bleeding. He had to resist, HE HAD TO RESIST

"Say it", Aizen ordered him.

And then the unthinkable happened. The words that came from his mouth were the following, said with strain.

"I'll … follow you, Aizen-sama", Mendocera muttered.

And with these words, the deal who would have bound his life forever was sealed.

* * *

What happened to the hollow race, as the Arrancar Mendocera Estebanez could testify, was not only an unstoppable storm of events which could be described as the unmovable power of evolution, but the greatest turning point for hollow history. When Mendocera had his mask forcefully ripped off and was granted shinigami power, was truly surprised to see that the Espada themselves suffered against the power of times. 10 was a mere number, but now it was a symbol to shame now to most Espada: it meant they weren't anymore worth their title and were degraded to Privaron Espada. Rotoga was the first to lose his rank, shamefully dishonored it once an old knowledge of his had shown up: Nniotra Gilga, also known as Abringer of Despair.

The arrancar had shown up, found by Socacchio, and had immediately tried getting to the top of most Espada, actually succeeding in defeating most of them. The one with the worst performance was overall Rotoga, with whom Nniotra had a long-standing grudge for having been abandoned over 200 years ago. The cloaked arrancar had not only failed to land a single blow on the newcomer, but once things had been working up badly for him, he had fled. Derided and mocked, Aizen caught him up soon and stripped him of his rank, for some reason leaving him alive.

To add salt off the injury, Mendocera had actually fared better than his own master: he even managed to land a pair of blows against the bloodthirsty Arrancar, much to the surprise of most, though Nniotra had come unscratched from them all. The result was a drastic change of the rank of most Espada and Mendocera's reassignment to another Espada. That had not been the first time, though, and would have not been the last.

From his harmless position, Mendocera was able to witness most of the changes of the new power of Hueco Mundo, the constant changes of the Espada, of whom, of the first generation, only Aarionero was left in the rank, with the low title of Novena Espada. Most had just retired, some had bitterly died in combat and a very few ones had disappeared in mysterious disappearance of others. Mendocera truly respected all his ten leader, with the possible exception of the current Decima Espada, Yammi Llargo? Such a weak guy whose only power was his arrogance was truly not work his rank… more likely a well, gigantic zero for the loser he was. He still was a bit irked by the fact his ultimate leader was a shinigami, and truly hoped the Espada would have one day overthrown him. He did not care very much about Aizen's goal, which apparently aimed at godhood, but 'hollowity' did not aim at that. No, Mendocera's dream was much greater: he wanted to make a perfect hollow utopia, a place where every hollow could have lived in peace, free from any binding, physical and psychological. Perfection.

Despite he was not the strongest arrancar, his blindness had allowed him to develop his ability to feel reiatsu (an ability known as Pequisa among Arrancars) to level none else before him had gone: he was like a human (or, rather, 'hollow') sonar who could understand the race and the strength of anyone who was standing near him, he did not even need to face his interlocutor to see. He even had learned how to enhance his powers to map out a whole are the size of a small town. These powers had made Mendocera a worth Fraccion and allowed him to survive for enough time to have a promotion and serve stronger Espada than the Cuarta ones. He eventually came to serve the Segunda Espada, the former God King of Hueco Mundo himself, Barragan Luiseban, who Aizen had somehow convinced to surrender to his cause, even taking over his land, Las Noches. In the process, Aizen had built one of the biggest fortress existing, over the size of a country, not even Mendocera could fully map it out.

He was slowly getting used to his acting human again. He truly felt weirded out when he wore for the first time a standard Arrancar outfit: a white jacket, black sash, and a white hakama. But he had even gone so far to costume it at the end, adding two shoulder pads and replacing the white sandals with two whites boot. He promptly felt more used to it, and rather fitting for fighting, something an hollow had to be prepared to do. Same for the use of his zanpakuto, which had the unusual form of a giant tuning fork.

He actually got along with most of the Arrancar, keeping with most of them a reciprocal respect and a great professional bond with them. But his best friends remained the same… those wonderful, entertaining, always-lovable book: those things made out of wood and ink were still the key of the knowledge, at first it was truly difficult to read them, but eventually his tact developed so much he could feel the differences between every single kanji written in ink of paper. Also, he had another duty… feed Marina some hollow carcass… without having him see her. Now he was not the Adjuchas Marina was used to see. He was an arrancar, a human… something rather ugly in fact. NO, she had to be kept pure from shinigamification.

Still, while Mendocera's and Rotoga's bond as master and servant had been permanently severed by the higher powers of the hollow world, their mutual hatred had not faded away, but it kept growing to the point they regularly clashed against each other. While Rotoga was stronger in terms of sheer power, Mendocera kept holding his own in their continuous battle with a mix of speed and strategy. Still, every single fight served nothing but fuel their respective scorn towards, as more than once an outside force came and stopped their battle because either they were dealing too many external damages to the structure or because they were too much annoying (really, the motivation depended from Arrancar to Arrancar).

And one day, their hatreds reached their peak, and, as a great classical motivation, as Mendocera could notice from the number of clichés of the thousands of book he had been reading, the motivation was a woman.

It were only two words which made him snap…

"MEIDO-CHAN! MEIDO-CHAN"

* * *

Mendocera could not believe at that sound. He was relaxing in his rooms of las Noches. His room wasn't big, occupied by the impressive number of books he always had and statues of all the Espada to have ever lived, and…

_It was not a sound I should be hearing there. At best in the far Forest of Menos, but not THERE… it must not be good if I hear it HERE!,_ he thought sonido-ing towards the source of the sound. What he was 'seeing' through his Pequisa was a familiar red spot, now much smaller, getting constantly crushed by an hated purple Pequias. He could hear childish crying and Rotoga laugh.

It was too easy to put two and two togheter: Rotoga had turned Marina into an Arrancar and now she was paying the consequences. Marina's arrancar form was different from most arrancar in what, while most of them were at least young adult, she looked to be around 5 years old. Oddly enough, her hairstyle was completely asymmetrical: her red hair was spiky on her left half of her face and straight down mid-back length on her right. Her eyes was yellow colored, very cat-like. Of her Hollow remants, there was her upper jaw hanging on her cheeks, with a long row of sharp teeth and her large hollow hole on her chest. She was naked at that moment, and Rotoga was happily exploiting the situation to beat her down savagely. But as he saw Mendocera, he stopped and threw the child at him. He was frozen by that act.

"Why, ROTOGA?"; he hissed in rage.

"Told ya Marina was next,, Mendocera! It was fun, you know… next time I think I'll kill her", he said with a laughter. Marina faced the man who was holding her. She, incredibly enough, recognized him by his long hair and his reiatsu.

"Meido-chan?", she muttered, to which Mendocera nodded.

"It's me Marina"; he said with a reassuring smile.

"Why? Why did you you change? Why did I change? What happened?", she said clutching to his chest and crying. Mendocera felt something odd, as if he was… feeling…. Something. It was bitter tasting, but somehow was bringing warmness to the area Marina was resting her head on. He had heard about it…. Was it… empathy? But he did not have time to contemplate this as he knew something… He needed help for Marina. He could not bring her to Aizen: he was too much of a survivalist to let a child live on Las Noches. Same for most Espada… but there were exception, fortunately. With that he sped up to the chamber of the Tercera Espada. Out of them all, she was the one who did get concerned about other Arrancar and was not too apathetic to do something about it.

He knocked the door and was greeted with a rather annoyed: "Oh, it's you"

Mendocera groaned as he recognized the arrancar before him: she was a dark-skinned Arrancar who dressed like an Amazon warrior and had a toned body. She had long, thick wavy brown hair and green eyes. She was not the Tercera Espada, but her Fraccion. Mendocera looked with his Pequias and felt other free reiatsu… so, Harribel was with her Fracciones at the time…..

"Hi, Mila Rose. Could I see the Tercera Espada?", Mendocera replied.

"Why should I have you deal with her… to do the same thing you did to me?"; she snarked in rage.

"For the last time… you know that I am blind! I had no idea the thing I touched wasn't your head, and I apologized!"; Mendocera replied upset by such a long standing grudge: she had even gone so far to run after him across the whole Las Noches. Marina, understanding what had happened, just let out a childish giggle, which caught Mila Rose's attention. She looked down.

"Who is she?", she asked Mendocera.

"I'm Meido-chan's daughter, Marina!", she replied with her cute voice. That great big smile she usually has and that look in her eyes that screamed "Hug me!"… that conquered the Fraccion in no time!

"You are… so cute!", she said taking her in her arm, much to Mendocera's surprise. All of sudden, other two Arrancars showed up drawn by her companion's voice, one was Apacci, a tomboyish girl with heterochromia and jaw length blue hair, the other was Sung-Sun, slender female Arrancar with long flowing olive-green hair, long eyelashes, and three pink dots just below her right eye. They too felt victim of Marina's cuteness and wanted to hold her, and it resulted into an argument where Marina looked like a sponge which kept slipping off their hands. Mendocera was worried, Marina was childishly delighted and her "Yaaaaaaaaaay" could testify. At last, she ended up with her head in the middle of a fourth, much more endowed bosom. She looked up at the woman eyes and recognized her.

"Boobies? HARRIBEL!"

Harribel had dark skin, green eyes, blonde eyelashes, and messy short blonde hair with three braided locks. She wore a variation of the Arrancar jacket that covers the lower part of her face downwards and which opened from the bottom upwards. The jacket's sleeves completely envelop her arms, terminating in black glove-like extensions at her extremities, resembling the appearance of a cat's paw.

Harribel was a curious mix of coldness and genuine care for the others. Mendocera had hoped more than once she would have joined him in the great masterpiece of Hollowity, but she had always politely refused because, unlike him, she thought that most hollow, especially the predator ones, deserved to die, while Mendocera was for the freedom of every hollow.

Taking the small child in her arms and noticing she was naked, she asked quietly: "Who are you?".

"It's my 'daughter', Mistress Tia Harribel! – Mendocera intervened - she was forcefully turned into an arrancar by Rotoga… and needed help to deal with her… She needs something to eat and a dress!"

Harribel nodded, remembering the first time she had met them.

"I will threat her as if she is my daughter, Mendocera"; she said with a letting Marina rest on her chest and started petting her head. The small child was smiling in bliss.

"I am truly grateful Harribel… I fear I might be a disaster if I try to act on my own on her…. That bastard of Rotoga…", he said, as rage slowly took over his feelings. Before Harribel or her fracciones could stop her, Mendocera turned, wishing to avenge Marina's transformation. The Tercera at the end, decided not to stop him and focus on the little child.

"So… what would you like for snack?", she asked

"An hollow, thanks!", Marina said, making everybody in the room sweatdrop.

* * *

Mendocera kept clashing against his not so old foe.

"Does it burn? Yes it does. You truly are worthless"; Mendocera said as his zanpakuto crossed against the other arrancar. He was truly feeling evilly delighted.

"SHUT UP SHITTY HOLLOW!"; Rotoga screamed in rage as a slash from his foe managed to rip off his cloack. His tattoo was no more the 4th he had proudly shown Mendocera, but it was added a 10 on it. Hissing, Rotoga charged at his foe and grabbed his head. One of the walls of the tower cracked under the pressure of Mendocera's face slammed against it by the Privaron Espada, but he quickly got up and slashed again Rotoga, only to be blocked by his zanpakuto. The blind Fraccion twisted his body and kicked Rotoga in the face, making him back down, to which followed a swift series of punches and slashed, which made fly blood everywhere. Rotoge blocked his opponent zanpakuto with his hand and pierced his shoulder, to which Mendocera shrieked in pain and gave his foe a great headbutt in the chest, not only knocking him down, but breaking part of the roof where they were standing. Rotoga grabbed his neck with his ankles and threw the blind arrancar against a wall. Mendocera promptly got up and charged up a Cero between two halves of his hollow hole on his hands, something which Rotoga imitated, predictably enough. Before the two blast could make contact, a third figure swung his sword and somehow slashed both of the Ceros in half, making them dissipate into nothing.

Both Mendocera and Rotoga looked up at the newcomer, and clenched their teeth in rage.

The newcomer was a slender, yet fairly muscular, male Arrancar of average height with a melancholic appearance, fairly short, messy black hair, pale white skin, a black upper lip, and green eyes with slit-shaped pupils similar to a cat's. Part of his bangs fell between his eyes, and he had distinctively thick eyebrows. He had teal lines that descend from his eyes, making it appear as if he is crying. His facial expression rarely changed, and he was almost always seen frowning. He wore typical Arrancar clothes. However, his jacket seemed to have longer coattails than others, and the collar was rather high.

Like most other Arrancar, he possessed remnants of his former life as a Hollow in his appearance. His Hollow hole was located on his sternum where a heart would normally be. The remainder of his Hollow mask lies on top of his head, forming a broken helmet. His spiritual power, as Mendocera could attest, was green, and shaped like a typical demon, though unlike most it looked like it had an higher than average density… as if, instead of energy, was a sea.

"Ul… quiorra…", Rotoga growled and let out an hiss of anger, his fist clenching. If there was a guy he hated more than Mendocera, it was Ulquiorra himself, as he had 'stolen' his rank as Cuarta Espada

Mendocera, instead, bowed down in respect in front of his superior, greeting him with a polite: "Master Ulquiorra Cifer…. Your wishes?".

Ulquiorra was not simply a warrior, but a model: strong, cold and not to be influenced by either humanity or hollow bestial instincts… just cold logic. Perfection. Sheer 'Hollowity'…

The arrancar looked at both of them noncurantly as he sheathed back his zanpakuto and started talking in a quiet monotone.

"Mendocera Estebanez and Rotoga Marieron… Your clashes have been reaching levels of destructiveness which aren't tolerable anymore to the citizens of Las Noches. I am speaking on the behalf of Aizen-sama, right now, which told me to break the fight with diplomacy – he said then he put the hand again on the hilt of his zanpakuto – though he allowed me to resort to violence in case of resistance"

To this, Rotoga took the usual route of escaping before the situation could turn worse for him, which made him earn a single word from Ulquiorra.

"Trash…", he muttered as he turned to the Fraccion, who still was bowing down in front of him

"Instead, I have a message for you, Estebanez, still from Aizen-sama's behalf", he continued with his usual monotone, to which the other arrancar replied with a nod.

"He's commanding you to go the leader of the Exequias, Rubodon, to support him in the research for Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, mysteriously disappeared as well along with his five Fracciones. Then he wishes your presence to his throne room, undisclosed subject. Do It as soon as possible Estebanez. Aizen-sama won't be as indulgent as I am", Ulquiorra concluded dismissing Mendocera.

"Aizen's will… shall be done", Mendocera replied standing up. He was inwardly amused how such a stoic Espada like Ulquiorra was so prone to talk, but decided for his health's sake not to. He bowed his head and Sonido-ed as fast as he could. He felt Ulquiorra's stare following him. There was a urban legend saying that if Ulquiorra looked at you without saying anything, it meant he respected you… Mendocera had never hoped as much for the truthfulness of a childish rumor.

He and Rubodon worked togheter for a while, until, thanks to their mixed power and the technology bestowed them by the Octava Espada, Szayel Aporro Gantz, they were able to state this. The Sexta Espada was nowhere in Hueco Mundo, but had actually left for Karakura Town, where he and his Fraccion were already clashing against shinigami. Leaving each other begrudgingly, he headed towards Aizen's chamber. Aizen was, predictably, standing on his throne room. Along with him, there were the top three Espada and the shinigami Ichimaru and Tosen. Ichimaru was actually talking with an effeminate looking arrancar, the abrasive and arrogant Numeros know as Luppi. He always acted like he would have become an Espada all of sudden… pathetic!

"Aizen-sama!Tthanks to further studies held by the Octava Espada, we discovered Grimmjow is in Karakura Town", Mendocera reported bowing his head in front of his shinigami leader, something which would have been unthinkable to him, hadn't so many years passed.

"Very well, Mr. Mendocera Estebanez, as Ulquiorra must have told you, you have been called for an important task to comply, which, incidentally, is in Karakura Town as well - Aizen said –There are rumor of Shingami with Hollow-like powers"

At this, Mendocera noticeably tenses.

_How daring… How pathetic… How DISGUSTING! Shinigami were now being copying them, Arrancar, who transcended the barrio of mere humanity? What an insult…. – _he thought – _they'll soon feel the wrath of my blade!_

"Your mission is just a scouting one – the shinigami continued - You'll have to track them down, then return here immediately to communicate me their position. Most shinigami will be busy with Grimmjow and his fraccion. Avoid showing up and trying support them"

Mendocera nodded and bowed down replying: "At your orders".

As he was dismissed, Mendocera crossed his eyes with his true master, Barragan Luisebarn. With just that stare, they were able to communicate much more than outside spectators could think of. Mendocera knew that, if his mission was successful, would have reported first to Barragan rather than Aizen. After all, the latter was just a shinigami.

His thoughts were interrupted by Marina's reiatsu arriving. Hugging her, he felt the fabric wrapping her body.

"Wow! Harribel gave you a nice dress!", he said

Marina nodded and said: "Yes! She ripped part of her uniform to do it! I could see her boobies!"

Mendocera laughed, thinking she was joking, though she was actually truthful. He then realized something… how could he leave her there? That psycho of Rotaga still wished to get his stupid revenge, but got an idea.

"Marina, wanna take a walk with me?", he asked.

Marina said: "NO, daddy! I have a new friend… I wanna stay with her!".

Mendocera nodded, thinking she was referring to Nel and happily said: "Of course!"

"YAY! – Marina said – this building is so beautiful!"

"Beatiful… just beautiful? – he said taking her to window -Las Noches is not simply a building the size of a country. I is PERFECTION. Perfect hollowity transcending human comprehension. A law lived among Barragan's rule: eat, or be eaten. The stronger eats, the weaker gets eaten. And that's how it's going even in Aizen's rule, but now… strength is not enough anymore: there are other kinds of power, not powers to kill people in a single move… or to cleave mountains … or to survive the impossible. It was the power to change things… Think Marina, we can turn this world in a place where every single Hollow lives in piece… where our anguish will be no more? It isn't just beautiful… it's wonderful!"

Unfortunately, as Mendocera was talking, Marina, due to the stress endured during the day, fell asleep on his shoulder. Mendocera smiled and placed her to the bed of his chamber and then opened a Garganta: he had greater mission to do, but for Marina, he would have come back.

Little he knew that Marina was sleeping of the friend she was referring to, which was not Harribel, but a small child-like Arrancar, whose name was Nel Tu. She was always accompanied by two other hollows, Dondochakka Blistin, a large, spotted, humanoid Arrancar with a tiki mask and compound eyes, Pesche Guatiche, a seemingly harmless, humanoid Arrancar whose mask resembles an insectoid head with a large pair of mandibles…. Oh, yeah, least she forgot, Bawbawa, a giant, eel-like hollow whose mask consists of a simple plate on his head with a pair of horns.

And indeed she was having a unusal dream about her…

* * *

"_YAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY" *bounces*_

"_!" *bounces*_

"_!" *bounces*_

"_!" *bounces*_

"_!" *bounces*_

"_! *bounces*_

"_!" *bounces*_

"_Jumping ith the betht, Mawina-chan!", Nel said_

"_Right Nel-chan! Jumping in the bubble forest is the best… - Marina said – and bubbles like hollows are *CHOMP* yummy! YAY!"_

"_And one thay I'll have lathy-boob big and thoft as dete!", Nel replied happily looking at the bubbles._

"_And I – Marina enthusiastically said – will use them as pillows! YAY!"_

"_Te hehehe ! Wheeeeeeeeeee!", Nel replied. _

"_!" *bounces*_

"_!" *bounces*_

_*bounces*_

_*bounces*_

…

* * *

Nekoru Mei had finally patched up everything he could have needed for his mission… His Gigai dressed as a student, his Soul phone, his Hell Butterfly and, lastly his zanpakuto and some fun. He thought for a long while. This was no ordinary mission. He was actually being a secret agent of a battle which was part of a bigger war. While he could have died in any mission, he just needed a lucky hollow to deal a fatal blow, but this mission was even worse… he was one who had to be hidden… and to help all of sudden if the situation was bad.

The more the thought of it, the more his knees were shaking. Was he the right choice? Heck, he truly doubted it. His combat feat were rather lackluster… Heck, he did not even achieved Shikai!

He then realized something. Not only he had always been weak, but impotent against most of the thing he had to face. He had come close to so many things… and yet he was unable to left an imprint. He knew about Mayuri's project with the Quincy, and what about the clearly rigged process against Urahara? Was he able to do anything for EITHER side? The same could be told about the invasion of Soul Society, which had ended with him defeated in a single blow and spending most of it in an hospital bed.

He had, somehow, been two inches from the greatest turning point of history and somehow he managed not to contribute at all about them.

But still, there was something which forbid him into giving up: he was serving a bigger good. As he had been trained for all of his former life being a butler, he knew that, no matter your skills, but he had to serve his master, the Soul Society as a whole, and act the best he could. He sped up his pace and run up to the gate of the Sereitei (so that in case, he would not feel regret of his choice all of sudden and backed away) and continued till he saw the Gatekeeper Jidanbo.

"Yo, Jidanbo-san", he said waving at him with a smile

"Morning, Mei-san. Another patrolling mission?", the large man said, still in his proud stance.

Nekoru replied: "Kind of… I am happy your arm is just like new. And I am glad you appreciated my drawing"

Indeed now on his arm the gatekeeper was dangling a drawing of him defeating an army while all the people of Rukongai cheering for him. On the top there was the writing: "GET WELL SOON, JIDANBO-SAN!"

"You are welcome. Since Aizen attacked I want to be stronger. I am training on a regular basis to get stronger, so no other Ryoka will enter the gate on my shift!"; he said. This speech made Nekoru crack a smile. He really needed a prep talk for the oncoming mission...

"Well, good luck in your job, Jidanbo-san. You'll always be our best gatekeeper", Nekoru said. In fact, he too once saw him as a savior, back when he was a normal resurrected soul.

"Same for you, Mei-san"; the Gate-keeper said.

After this much needed talk, Nekoru rushed to reach the Senkaimon. He knew one thing… there was no going back anymore.

* * *

As soon as he reached Karakura town with his Gigai on, he walked for a small while before getting forcefully pulled by a shinigami with a large nose, sharp visage and an unusual afro hairstyle. He immediately understood who he was.

"Zennosuke Kurumadani?", Nekoru Mei asked, as some people wondered what was happening to him, as he looked to be drageed by an invisible force.

"Yeah, Captain Hitsugaya told me of you. Nekoru Mei, right?", the Shinigami asked.

"Yeah, that's me… I guess you know why I have been called here, right?", he said freeing his arm from Zennosuke's grasp.

"Oh yeah… you should follow me, so that I, ZENNOSUKE KURUMADANI, will finally explain the details of our awesome mission destined to glory!", the shinigami said. Nekoru from these words understood two things: he was pretty much screwed and that his new boss was an idiot.

With a sigh, he reached his new base of operation… okay, it was actually an abandoned home, so that could not draw the eye of any bystander. Oddly enough Nekoru noticed that there was an unusual high number of people who were able to see him, which was odd, as they were much more than the ones he noticed back when he went to patrol Karakura Town around 30 years ago. He even noticed that the house he now inhabited was very close to a shop… but what had struck the most was the name: Urahara shop.

_Urahara… could it be? No, it cannot be… yet_ – he thought –_it makes awfully sense. I once met… or maybe just dreamt of meeting Yoruichi… Well, I had always wondered where that man had ended up. It also explain why… I feel chills down my back as I face this shop. It reminds me too much of when I feel the spiritual pressure of a captain… maybe there is even more than one… no doubt… for some reason, it's the first time I feel so afraid of an harmless candy shop._

All of sudden, his flow of consciousness was stopped by Zennosuke shaking him by his shoulder.

"What's up?", he asked turning back to normal, noticing he had instinctively clutched a fist to his chest.

"Have you looked at yourself into a mirror? You are as pale as a ghost", Zennosuke said, puzzled and partially worried for his companion.

"Really?", he asked.

Zennosuke just pulled out a mirror and showed him. Indeed, Nekoru had turned unnaturally pale as he had just seen an army of Vasto Lorde-class Hollw.

"It… muct be the temperature here", he said regaining composure and color.

"Oh, yeah… well, I guess you wonder why you are here – Zennosuke said – you are here to…"

"… support Captain Hitsugaya-sama and his team along with the former Ryoka Ichigo Kurosaki fighting off Aizen's forces!", Nekoru said interrupting him.

Zennosuke, perplexed by how Nekoru had correctly guessed it, said: "True, but you don't know that our enemies are…"

" ...Arrancar, or rather Shinigami-Hollow Hybrid, the result of Hollows removing their masks, most likely of Menos power at least, as they are able to hold their own against the Gotei ", he said.

"Okay – Zennosuke said surprised that Nekoru knew this as well – and indeed they have attacked Kurosaki Ichigo recently, resulting in the Captain Commander's decision in sending a team, made up of Captain Hitsugaya, his hot lieutenant, the bald guy from Kenpachi and the more effeminate guy always coming from Kenpachi division?

Nekoru remained surprised: "Matsumoto, Ikkaku and Yumichika?"

"Yes, all of them are here… plus there is the two of us! They have already been attacked once, but our combined forces have repelled them! Now, we are waiting for their next move…. Are you ready to it? Are you ready to fight and release your zanpakuto against them?", he said

"Of course I am ready to fight!", Nekoru said, hinging on Zennosuke's stupidity not to notice he hadn't said anything about releasing his zanpakuto. And, for once, he was right.

"Excellent. Now relax and stay here! This job is rather easy. All of them are too proud to call for us, so we'll be fine unless we are attacked by some arrancar. We'll still have to keep our guard on, of course!", he said.

Nekoru let out an uneasy smile: on one side, he truly was happy that nobody was really forcing him to attack in what to him was most likely a suicide mission… but the point he had made back in his home remained. He was truly impotent, able to somehow be near great events and yet put on no weight at all in them. He knew that his wish to be more than cannon fodder, would have likely come to bite him…. But he for some reason preferred it than a walking filler. He could have tried getting stronger, but training from Zennosuke would have most likely made him weaker. So he did the only reasonal think he could do… he placed his zanpakuto on his lap and meditated, attempting to perform Jinzo once more.

The days passed, which Zennosuke spent doing mundane stuff and Nekoru trying to communicating with his zanpakuto. Occasionally, they were informed by Hitsugaya by the current happenings

Again, he managed to achieve some progress.

_Ehi_

_What?_

_It's me…._

_No, not you again! Go away_

_But…_

_Stop talking, you freak! GO AWAY!_

Nekoru opened his eyes in disbelief.

_People keep telling me every zanpakuto wants to tell its master its name…. why mine is such an exception?_

* * *

Another couple of days passed, whne all of sudden, Nekoru heard sounds of battle. No doubt, they were fighting. Zennosuke had cowered on a corner and Nekoru followed him on a whim.

"This spiritual pressure… it's demonic!", Zennosuke said. Nekoru nodded in agreement.

"Well, I'll go check up if any of them needs help… I'll call you on your soul phone in cause the situation go bad", Nekoru said standing up. Zennosuke was too terrified and did not wish to fight at all against such a reiatsu… so he was rather glad someone was taking his job, for once.

"Yeah, that's sure, man. Keep it up the good word!", he said.

While Nekoru managed to see the truth behind Zennosuke's words, pretended to ignore it and interpret it as another peep talk. He shunpo-ed to a window and saw the fight between a large brute and what looked like to be two shinigami, and on a further distance, some figures wielding a blade fighting a humanoid looking tentacle monster. But there was something else which truly caught his eye. There was a third figure standing on a building. As he focused on him, saw the intensity of his hollow energy. No doubt, while he looked a shinigami clad in white clothes, he was an 'Arrancar'. The Arrancar, after sighting both the fights, started jumping away from the Building, as if he had noticed that someone was spying on him, and started running.

_This is my occasion!_, Nekoru thought jumping ou of the window and contacting Zennosuke.

"I am going after an hollow. Call me if the situation gets worse!", he said, to which Zennosuke had no time to answer as he hung up. Nekoru was finally able to do something for the good of Soul Society and that Arrancar had been walking undisturbed for too much time, exploiting the fact that the shinigami were busy with his kin. But Nekoru would have stopped him!

* * *

_Damn you, shinigami!_, Mendocera though clenching his teeth as he sonidoed away from his pursuer.

He was actually weaker than him, but he did not want to fight against him, so decided to run away. Why had he gotten so interested in watching the fights of the Espada? He had been spot on. So he ran. His mission was to find the shinigami with hollow powers and he could easily testify that the shinigami after him... well, didn't. He could _see_ it. He started running away from Nekoru, but he was fast enough to go after him. After all, he had tried well in Hoho. Eventually Mendocera got pissed off and jumped on a bulding, cutting off with his zanpakuto a large sign. Nekoru managed to jump over it and still kept going after the arrancar, attempting to slow down with a Kido blast. Mendocera just blocked it with one hand and threw it back to Nekoru, who cut it in two with his zanpakuto. He truly was not going to let him go, and that Kido had to be destroyed, lest it would have ended up attacking innocent people.

"You will not escape from me, monster!"; Nekoru said running as fast as he could, finally catching up to him

"Monster? How ironical from a race of hunters? Want a piece of me, shinigami? - Mendocera said upset –well, I surely will!"

Nekoru noticed the Arrancar was going too fast so he decided to stop him the most logical way: making him angry.

"Oh so you are a male, uh? With your long hair, I would have mistook you for a girl!", he said. All of sudden Mendocera stopped and did the unthinkable: to slap him!

"Pervert!"; he said.

"I deserved it….!"; Nekoru said rubbing his cheek, only to notice something, which Mendocera did in turn.

"Pervert?", Nekoru replied shocked.

"I deserved it?", Mendocera replied in shock. Those words, those reactions, those voices.

"BUDDY?", both of them said pointing at each other. They couldn't believe. Their closest thing to a friend belonged to the race they hated the most… how on earth?

"You are an hollow? – the shinigami said shocked – since… since when? How long have you been manipulating me?"

"I could ask you the same, Shinigamil.. and I am an hollow no more… I am an arrancar,a creature with all your power and all my pride in hollowity! A… transcendental, we could say! Instead, lemme guess, you keep failing that exam, right? Well, I guess I should introduce myself… Mendocera Estebanez, Numeros Cincuenta y unos"

With this, Mendocera lifted his head, revealing a **51 **number tattooed on his forehead.

Nekoru snarled as he was remembered the fact he still hadn't achieved shikai and replied: "Very well, then buddy, or rather Mendocera, I am Nekoru Mei… Shinigami! Surrender now"

Mendocera replied with a laughter at the empty threat, and Nekoru then swung his sword against him. Unfortunately, the Arrancar effortlessly dodged.

"Well, we had been having nice talk when we were friends, right? I guess we'll continue then. Open your ears, for I am going to explain you what it means to be an arrancar. First of all – he said slashing his sword against nekoru, slamming him against a tree – our zanpakuto! We Arrancar seal the nuclei of our abilities within the form of a sword. It is entirely different from what you Shinigami use. When we release our Zanpakutōs' seals we unleash our true powers and our true forms!"

Nekoru stood up and rushed at Mendocera, this time catching him with a binding kido spell, which burn a bit Mendocera's sleeve and skin. Yet the arrancar did not flich and sped up to an impressive speed tying up the shinigami to his own spell.

"Sonido: it allows us to travel at incredibly high speeds for short distances. Use of Sonído is punctuated by a brief static sound. Sonido, sounds, understood? – he said before shooting Nekoru with a beige blast – and that was a Blala: it hardens the user's Spiritual Pressure and fires it like a bullet. Although it is weaker than a normal Cero, which I suppose you know what is it, hollow killer, but it moves about twenty times faster and can be fired at a much higher rate, but the damage is pretty much the same!"

He then got distracted by an unusual spiritual pressure… at first it looked just like shinigami, but then he felt it… there was… sheer …. Hollow energy.

"It's them!", Mendocera muttered as he focused on their area. Nekoru stood up and went slashing him, but Mendocera noticed him and blocked the blade with his forearm.

Unfazed, Mendocera continued explaining his abilities: "Hierro: it refers to the hardened skin of us Arrancar, which is a result of our compressed spiritual power. Our skin is strong enough to block even released Zanpakutō bare-handed! Yours isn't, right?"

With this Mendocera grabbed Nekoru and tossed him againa bit afar as he noticed something back… that pressure was getting closer… and, while he could have handled it, there was something else near it, something much stronger than him. But, his mission was done. He now knew the location of the Shinigami Hollow-copycat, so he could leave.

"And to conclude, Garganta: is how Arrancar and Menos-class Hollows move to and from Hueco Mundo. It literally tears open the dimensional fabric separating the worlds, revealing a tunnel of whirling, torrential energy that must be focused and solidified to create a discernible pathway, as you see - he said as Nekoru, now standing on his knee, bruised and cut, looked marveled at the Garganta – I hope this lesson of the Arrancar Encyclopedia was enough to you, because next time you'll meet an Arrancar, it will be the last of you… I would finish you off myself… but I have to go… I hope you understand. Don't worry, though… you should be rather… entertained!"

Mendocera could easily realize that the shinigami were rather racist, and he had gathered enough information to discover that the Arrancar copycat, or the so called 'Visored', actually were quite hostile to shinigami, so there was no doubt: that shinigami who was standing before him was going to suffer…. And the greatly enjoyed the sufferance of those mindless murderer called 'shinigami'.

With a last smirk, Mendocera entered inside the portal, which faded to pieces, leaving Nekoru dumbfounded.

_What was the hollow talking about? Entertained? By whom? Another hollow, an Espada? What?_, he thought looking around with his guard on. He indeed could feel that, despite Mendocera had left, there was a spiritual pressure coming at full speed at him. All of sudden, his zanpakuto was clashing against another. Before him there was a short masked girl.

She was a very short, with brown eyes(whose scleras was pitch black) and blonde-haired girl who had been keeping her short hair in stubby pigtails. She was wearing a red jogging suit decorated with tkanj and flip flops. Her mask, awfully resembling an hollow, was skeletal in appearance and sported a prominent horn centered on the forehead with a row of diamond shaped markings over the eyebrows. Her zanpakuto was a large cleaver with a serrated saw-like blade.

"DIE!", she growled with a distorted voice.

At this voice, Nekoru froze, his fighting stance hardening. Her voice, her style, her aggressivity… they reminded him of a fury who, during his days back as a mere purified soul, had chased him down for a whole district of the Soul Society after she assumed Nekoru had insulted her.

_It can't be… she is…._

"… lieutenant Hiyori Sarugaki-sama?", he said aloud. The fact that the shinigami had recognized him just made Hiyori even more furious and kept clashing against him, saying to him other two simple words.

"DIE SHINIGAMI!"

TO BE CONTINUED….


	8. The Ant, the Cat and  the Man

_With my firm hand, I shall trace the path of my masterpiece_

_-__Nekoru Mei_

**The ant, the cat and the man **

* * *

Swords of two zanpakuto clashing. Two auras, one silver-colored, the other bloody red, trying to overwhelm each other, inhuman growls and pants of fatigue. These were the background sounds of the fight between Nekoru Mei, Shinigami, and the Visored former lieutenant Hiyori Sarugaki. She was walking home, to the base of the Visored, when she had felt two Spiritual pressures and then she saw a shinigami talking to distance to a hollow. Her instinct was to go and kick both of their asses, as had noticed they were heading towards the base of the Visored.

As she did not see the Arrancar, she had rushed to take on the shinigami. After all, she felt the need to fight, after so much time spent in hiding and that shinigami was the perfect scapegoat. She had gone all out. Her hollow mask on and her zanpakuto on Shikai state.

Nekoru truly was flinching at her strength and fierceness. She was short, but still, she was a pintsized powerhouse and indeed he was forced to shunpo away from her to take distance. As Hiyori went after him growling, he casted a binding Kido to her foot, lifting her up and slamming her against the ground and then against a building which looked abandoned. Hiyori got back up immediately and with a shunpo elbowed Nekoru in the stomach , punched his chest, kicked his face and stomped his foot. Nekoru managed to kick her face and get again distanced from her by using a blast spell that propelled him away.

_Damn it. Now that she is an hollow, she is even tougher than I could ever think_, he thought blocking another barrage of her hit, but then he used another binding Kido first to strangle her, then he used an electric Kido to electrocute her.

"HOW THE HELL HAVE YOU BECOME AN HOLLOW, LIEUTENANT HIYORI SAGURAKI-SAMA? HECK, YOU HAVE GOTTEN WORSE SINCE YOUR EXILE", Nekoru screamed upset and fatigued by the duel, which still looked to be a long way to go.

Hiyori just turned at him, her reiatsu reaching monstrous dimension, and said: "YOU MORON!"

She then pulled the Kido, dragging Nekoru with it, and paid him back the favor by strangling him with his own Kido, until she could get enough of a opening to slash him upward, leaving him with several cuts, then headbutted his chest so powerfully he ended up against a building.

"YOU STUPID MORON! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"; she asked holding him by his ponytail.

"I am..", he said, only to be punched by Hiyori

"IT WAS A RETHORICAL QUESTION, YOU DUMBASS! ", she yelled with her distorted voice and punching him again only to discover that Nekoru had stabbing her side with his zanpakuto and twisted his blade in. Hiyori than flared up and smashed him twice against the ground, with the second time going so far to scratch his face against the nearby building, leaving a lot of cuts in his face. As he had finally let go his blade, she opened her hollow like mouth and small particles of reiatsu started gathering around her.

Nekoru widened his eyes as he realized what she was doing.

_Damn. A Cero! What can I do? If she fires up, I am fried… literally!_, he said then he got the worst idea he could come up with, knowing he would have regretted it soon.

Nekoru needed to react fast. If he didn't, what was left of his head would have be turned inside out and burnt to a crispy crunchy ember; he extends his fingers and casted a silent kido, Sho. The kido hit its mark naturally for Nekoru needed it too, it hit Hiyori's head as the crimson aura of that soon to be deadly cero began to pool and condense. The kido wasn't meant to slice, it wasn't even meant to hurt, it was meant to do just as the name implies: push. He pushed the Arrancar's head forward so even it fired it didn't kill him, but unluckily, Hiyori managed to spun her head making her head move downward. And in that moment when that beast of energy known as a Cero fired, creating a large explosion, making both of them fly away.

Nekoru found relief at his for two reasons: first of all he wasn't dead and two he had found his zanpakuto again. He was still very tired, as the battle was leaving his mark on him. He had a bruise on his chest, a large cut on his body and small scratches above his face. And this despite he was going all out against that little girl. At least she too was damaged a bit. He smirked: it had been too much time since he had finally got against an opponent who he could fight, even though she was still much stronger than him.

_If I had the shikai, I could have defeated her, _he thought as the smoke faded, showing Hiyori who was still standing as walking toward him. Some white fragments were falling off her face.

_WHAT THE HELL,_ he thought as he parried another blow from her zanpakuto. Finally her mask was falling off her face, which revealed a grinning face not unlike the one on her hollow mask. Her eyes too were slowly shifting off from gold to dark brown with white sclera.

"Damn IT! ASSHOLE!"; she said trying to stab him once more, but Nekoru deflected the blow.

"So you are still a shinigami!", he stated in hopes to bid time to gain other forces again.

"OF COURSE I AM; DUMBASS!", she said trying to kick him, but Nekoru parried and punched her jaw, making her falter for a second, enough for Nekoru to grab her head and slam her against his knee.

"That's it" she said calmly

She slid underneath Nekoru's arm and spun building momentum for one powerful kick, her right leg extended, aimed to slam against the side of his head.

"You've just driven me MAD, bastard!" She quipped as he followed through on his kick. Nekoru parried it in time by grabbing it, but the hit was somehow powerful enough he felt the bones of his hand and wrist breaking. Hiyori, still with her stern expression, wrapped both her leg against his neck, strangling him, and elbowed his face. Despite this Nekoru was parrying part of her strikes, though he was considerably weakened, and she in response threw him against a building.

Nekoru was actually going to try to use a combination of his Kido to attack her once more, but he felt something odd… as much as he knew, buildings were not soft. He then looked to his horror, he was tangled in a spider web-like pattern of purple Kido tendrils. They soon wrapped around him, tying him up. Hiyori too looked surprised at this, she then turned as soon as she felt a third spiritual pressure. Both of them had been so focused in their fight they had not noticed the new presence.

Hiyori greeted her teeth upset at the newcomer: it was a very large and rotund man. He was wearing an olive green tuxedo with a yellow bow tie. He had golden eyes, a pink mustache and hair with a black crossbones design in the center

"What the fuck are you doing it, Hachi? I was winning!", she said.

Nekoru too intervened, as he oddly, maybe because of tiredness and fatigue, stated: "In fact, she is right! She was winning!"

He then thought for a second.

_Hachi? Hachigen? Lieutenant Hachigen Ushoda-sama?_, he wondered.

"I know you were winning, Hiyori-san. But Shinji-sama felt your spiritual pressure clashing and ordered me to intervene, not for your sake, but for him, fearing you would have ended up hurting him too much!", he kindly explained with a gentle tone.

As Nekoru understood that were talking about the former captain Hiyori growled Shinji's name and turned at Hachigen rebutting to him: "I saw him talking to an Arrancar! HE COULD BE A TRAITOR!"

Nekoru said: "I am not!"

Hachigen's expression for a second turned stern and then faced Nekoru again with his kind look.

"I am sorry, young man, but it will be Shinji's decision whether you are telling us the truth or not. In the meanwhile, you are our prisoner! If you are innocent, I apologize in advance", he said still with his kind tone as Hiyori lifted Nekoru over her shoulder to carry him to the Visored's base. Hachigen then placed one of his large fingers over the forehead of the young boy, casting a silent kido which knocked him unconscious.

From Nekoru's pocket slid something: it was his Soul Phone. Hiyori looked at it and she noticed it was switched on, and, in a feat of rage, stomped on it, crushing it to pieces

* * *

"Oh damn it!"; Zennosuke was not the brightest or bravest Shinigami, but was one whose instinct was decent. As Nekoru had crazily rushed to follow the Arrancar, he had hung up, but had forgotten to close it, so Zennosuke was able to hear every single thing he was doing.

"Oh, damn it!", he said one he heard the discussion between him and the Arrancar and Nekoru losing to him

"Oh damn it!" he said as he heard him fighting against Hiyori, swearing every single time he heard a blow landing, no matter how violent.

"Oh, damn it!"; he said as he understood Nekoru had lost. The connection then closed and Zennosuke couldn't help but repeat himself.

"Oh damn it!", he muttered running in circle, thinking what he could do to save his partner: after all, Joshiro had told him to look after that recruit, and he could not fail his captain. He then realized. Most likely there was one able to save that shinigami… After all, he could be the ONLY ONE able to pull off something out of that dire situation. Yes, Zennosuke had to ask that man for help, even though it would have coasted him his soul or, worse, his hair

What exclaimed as he realized it?

"OH DAMN IT!"

Nekoru finally woke up, and looked at himself. He had been healed by his captors, apparently, as most of his cuts against that mad girl had healed and overall felt fine. He was in a large room, in another abandoned house. Oddly enough, he was alone, although he could feel an odd spiritual pressure or, rather, several of them, he tried to get out the room, only to bounce back.

"How Stupid of me… of course they used a Kido barrier to restrain me!", he said. A voice from the other entrance replied to him.

"That is correct!", it said, making him turn. Before him was a man with brown eyes and jaw-length blonde hair with a straight cut and whose smile revealed his upper teeth. He wears a standard Karakorum school uniform Nekoru had seen on several boy, though he usually wears a gray long-coat, shirt and tie, a newsboy cap

"Herro!", the man said waving at him almost playfully, to which the young shinigami shyly waved back. He squeezed his eyes in a successful attempt to recognize him.

"Captain Shinji Hikao-sama?", he wondered aloud.

"Oh – Shinji said, liking the honorific - not captain anymore… call me just 'Hirako Shinji-sama the Magnificent!'!"

"At your orders, Captain Hirako Shiji-sama the Magnificent!", he said, as the former captain looked more and more satisfied.

"Okay, now let's get slightly more serious! - Shinji said with a more stern look – who are you?"

"Name's Nekoru Mei!", The younger shinigami said.

Shinji raised a brow.

"Never heard of you! There is also another thing we found on your body", he said pulling out a scroll. Ankoku immediately understood what his was. It was the list of the captain he did the commission for.

"This is… an interesting list. I read my name, Urahara Kisuke, and even some of the current generation… and some seems to be crossed out. Let's see…. Mine is crossed, Urahara's crossed, Soifon, Ichimaru Gin, Sosuke Aizen, Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Jushiro Ukitake, Aikawa Love…. Why? What the hell are you planning?", Shinji said sternly, only to be be interrupted by another taller man.

"Just a moment… I recognize him!", the man said stepping out of the shadow. He had brown eyes and a thick black spiked afro which adds further to his rather incredible height. Love sports a green jogging suit and wore mirrored sunglasses at all times.

"He used to be a painter who worked in the Sereitei… I asked him for a commission back when I was a captain", he said.

Nekoru rolled his eyes, remembering what Love Aikawa, former captain of the 7th division and the man who was currently speaking. That was one of the work he was the most ashamed of, as, instead of being a piece of art, it was a collab of several trash stories Love read. Sure, he had been paid, and,, unlike the time with Mayuri, he had gotten nothing to fear about him. But it was still a rather annoying memory.

Hiyori all of sudden remembered him and tossed with violence a sandal, which bounced off the Kido Barried.

"You bastard! Now I remember you. You called me fat!", she growled at him

"For the last time, no, I didn't… I just muttered about buying an hat!", he said with an accusing glare at the pint-sized fury, only to be interrupted by the harsh voice of another Shinigami whose reiatsu made him feel like an ant for a second

"DO NOT DARE TO TALK BACK OR TO SPEAK BACK SHINIGAMI! YOU ARE NOT HERE TO DEFEND YOURSELF, BUT ONLY TO BE JUDGED ABOUT YOUR GUILTINESS", another man, the former captain of the night division, stated with a tone worth the worst drill sergeant. He was is a tall, muscular man with sharp features, short light-gray/silver hair and brown eyes. He wore a dark purple A-shirt with a white trim, in addition to green cargo pants, black combat boots, and a pair of orange fingerless gloves. He also had a series of piercings, with one on his left eyebrow and three on his left ear.

Nekoru instinctively made the military salute to him and said: "HAIL, CAPTAIN KENSEI MUGURUMA!".

He then looked around… so many captain… they were making him feel a bit… dizzy… he instinctively brought his hand of the forehead, feeling it sweating unnaturally. It was like somebody had raised the temperature all of sudden.

Shinji noticed this, and, even odder, how the young boy's zanpakuto was acting. It was trembling. What did it mean? Why such a sudden change in behavior.

"To be fair, he has to defend himself – Shinji stated with calm, not without an hint of mocking tone – we are putting him under trial"

"I still have never met him – Kensei stated – and I don't trust him. I don't trust anyone of my squad, much less wimps like him!"

"Me too…. And as much as we know, he might be sided with Aizen!", Shinji added.

Nekoru was attempting to defend himself, but at that moment, yet another voice spoke, this time surprising BOTH him and the Visored, which turned. Shinji smiled.

"Did not expect you here, I admit it!"; Shinji said with a friendly tone to the newcomer.

"Well, Shinji…. You know better than me that true heroes appear at the most dramatic moment… I guess I am a bit too late – the newcomer said with his face hidden by a large hat and a fan – I too know this guy. He used to be a painter who joined the Academy around the time you have been infected. I met him the first time while I was slacking off his work as he was drawing the panorama atop an hill. He once made a commission for me too. Most likely the crossed out names are just the captain who got commission from him!", the man said, as Nekoru attempted to recognize him despite his oddly dizzy state.

He was a tall light-skinned man with messy, light-blond colored (almost pale). He wore traditional Japanese wooden sandals and a bucket hat which shadowed his eyes. He also wore a dark green shirt and pants, and a black coat with a white diamond pattern along its bottom half. Oddly enough, his coat looked the opposite of a captain's haori (white with black diamonds). And, of course has also been carrying a fan which he was using to hide his face. Yet, due to his confused state failed to recognize the newcomer who was actually…

"…. Guess you are right, Urahara!", Shunìnji said, making Nekoru shake unnaturally.

"C-c-c-captain Kisuke Urahara-sama?", he muttered pointing at the newcomer, oddly struggling to his feet.

"Oh,… not captain anymore, I am now just a mere honest, perverted, handsome businessman", he said waving his fan, making the young shinigami raise a brow at this statement.

Shinji just smirked, showing his upper teeth.

"You have a plan with him, right?", he asked Urahara.

"Ooo… Shinji, you flatter me…. Of course I have one!", the man said in an odd over the top manner.

"Okay then, Urahara. The boy is yours… we already have trouble with the other", Shinji said making the Kido Barrier disappear and letting Nekoru go. The leader of the Vizard the the 'businessman' looked at each other as Nekoru stumbled towards his savior. Little he knew how much they were exchanging with just crossing their stares.

"Well, see ya around!"; they exchanged greeting.

Nekoru focused on Urahara and, as he started getting better stated: "Nice hat!"

This made Hiyori throw at him the other sandal.

"WHO IS FAT? REPEAT IT AGAIN!"; She busted in rage as the other Visored were holding her. Soon both the owner of Urahara shop and Nekoru Mei escaped from the little fury. They did not speak, Urahara just glanced a pair of times to Nekoru and, in particular to his zanpakuto.

* * *

As soon as he entered, Nekoru saw a red haired boy and a shy-looking girl with her black hair tied in a ponytail.

"Nice shop, Urahara!", he said… only to be approached to a gigantic man with a large handlebar mustache, his eyes framed by sharp sunglasses. He run with an impressive speed and until he went uncomfortably close to Nekoru and… busted into tears before giving him a thumb up before leaving resuming his work.

Nekoru, having recognized the man to be the former captain of the Kido Corps Tessai Tsukabishi raised a brow until Urahara said: "Nothing odd! Tessai takes pride when he works!"

Nekoru decided to make no comment but a shrug, the two shinigami sit down, not speaking to each other and barely attempting to interact. As soon as they arrived, in fact, Urahara took a file and started reading it, apparently ignoring the young shinigami. Eventually, Nekoru decided to man up and speak first.

"So, Captain Kisuke Urahara… How did you know my location?", he said.

"Your partner contacted me as he heard you lost to Hiyori, and was smart enough to look for the right handsome man – the blonde said with absentminded pride – I kinda remembered you back the days I slacked off in Soul Society and … ta-da! I saved you but…"

At this Urahara started waving his fan as if overexcited as he continued: "… you know, I knew you were going to be part of the team as soon as the Gotei 13 decided to send you here, having communicated this to me immediately, and so I decided to prepare…. A few tricks…first off, turn around!"

Nekoru did it immediately and saw a black cat next to him, and meowed to him. Nekoru had a sudden memory and put an hand to his chest, where his Saketsu and Hakusui were placed, a turned at Urahara slightly pale. He could easily understand it was actually Yoruichi in her cat form

"I see… nothing?", he said, in denial.

"Okay, turn again around!"; the former captain said, to which Nekoru obliged once more, but instead of a cat saw a naked dark skinned woman with golden eyes and purple hair. What she said?

"Meow!"

Nekoru immediately, in a rush a adrenaline caused by fear and an oncoming nosebleed, made a jump strong enough to latch at the ceiling with his fingers..

"TA-DA! First trick" -, Urahara said looking amused at the scene (and at Yoruichi, of course) . It was always like this when Yoruichi revealed her true form and wanted to fluster boys.

Some seconds later, Yoruichi, now wearing a sweater, brought him off the cieling. Nekoru blinked confused, leading him to inevitably ask: "Weren't you naked five seconds ago?"

"That was five seconds ago!"; Yoruichi replied with a grin, only for Urahara to clear his though and rightfully get back his spotlight.

"I am also quite aware of your skirmish with Yoruichi around 30 years ago… and here comes the question…. Why have you not used immediately Shikai against her? You are not even a lieutenant… it roughly means she could have stomped on you without a single though… wait, she did!", Urahara said in a tone progressively more mocking. Nekoru actually blushed at this question and was trying to find an acceptable answer.

Urahara just cut in: "Well, I wondered that at first, so I have asked your file of the Shino Academy , and let's read what they say about you, okay?"

'_Nekoru Mei. Speaking in theory, excellent student, diligent, dedicated to his work, and enough skill to nearly conclude a six years training in only five… while he could be easily compared at first sight of genius of the academy the likes of Ichimaru Gin, Toshiru Hitsuyaga and Kaien Shiba, all renowned members of the Gotei 13 (the former two captains), scratching the surface you can see his 'true self'._

_While greatly skilled in theory, he has serious trouble outstanding in practice, which is due to his actually rather low reiatsu. He has trouble making high level Kido even despite he knows most chanting, and actually his skills come across as average at best, despite occasionally showing interesting mixes of styles of fighting, though nowhere at the level of renowned captain like __**Kisuke Urahara**_ _or Byakuya Kuchiki, or lieutenants like Rangiku Matsumoto and Momo Hinamori. _

_Even more worrying is another fact: Nekoru seems unable to communicate with his zanpakuto. While this would be already an anomaly in itself, he's still skilled enough to make his own zanpakuto rather than being given a copy. The student refuses to speak about it, but he keeps attending this exam._

_Overall, if it wasn't for the aforementioned flaw, Nekoru Mei is a good student who'll have a good career and might aspire to become a 4__th__ seat if he ever overcomes his main handicap, but still it shall never be nothing outstanding' Average score, 79/100._

"What do you think of it?", Urahara asked, his serious stare piercing Nekoru. Yoruichi was just looking at them, waiting for an answer.

The young shinigami started massaging nervously his ponytail or running a finger through his headband. Youruichi, understanding, tried to open him up by saying: "Look, after all the review is not negative at all! It's good to most standard Shinigami!"

"Really?", Nekoru said with a smile.

"Well, of course – Urahara asserted – under this roof there are three of the most powerful captain to have ever lived. Tessai has demonstrated the ability to use various high-level Kidō at full power with complete control, including a level 99 Bakudō and level 88 Hadō spell, both without incantation, the latter of which caused tremendous destruction to a large part of the forest it was fired in, despite having the majority of its power blocked by high level defensive Kidō. Yoruichi? She take down nearly 50 Onmitsukidō members with only Hakuda in few seconds and is capable of destroying an entire city block with a punch. And I achieved Bankai in three days by overcoming my zanpakuto with only my swordsmanship…. And this after I invented the way to achieve Bankai in three days in the first place. You lived for most of your life with thirteen people on this caliber (sure, nobody was as awesome as me, but that's not the point…), and now that you are here you are surrounded by even a superior number, between the Visored, the captain you saw, the three of us and many other people you have not met yet. You are an ant …. Sure, ants can lift 50 times their weight… but you can do very little against a storm! What do you think you can do against Aizen?"

At this, Nekoru froze. It was an harsh but truthful critique. He had been thinking of it for a lot about it, and if a genius like Urahara had confirmed that… well, how could he be wrong? His mind resumed faltering a bit, he was surrounded by three captains after all. He resumed sweating and acted increasingly more and more nervous. Occasionally his stare fell on Yoruichi, but her view barely managed to relax him. The three former captain noticed this way of acting and were puzzled by it, in particular Urahara read again the part about Nekoru's zanpakuto.

"So, now you have to explain me this. How in the world you are able to create your own zanpakuto but being absolutely unable to communicate with it? Every zanpakuto want to reveal its name to his master", he said supporting himself with his walking cane.

Nekoru knew he could not dodge the question and finally spoke.

"Well, quite difficult to say – he nervously replied – but my zanpakuto seems… uh, I don't know the right word…. Yes, afraid. It is afraid of me… He does not want to let me in"

At this Urahara covered his face with his fan.

"A zanpakuto… afraid of his own shinigami… - he muttered – I understand… a lot…"

Nekoru was feeling an odd reiatsu coming from Urahara… something sinister which reminded him of Mayuri.

"Well, I see…. Look, it's so late, I gotta go. Captain Kisuke Urahara-sama, Captain Yoruichi Shinoin-sama, Captain Tessai Tsukabishi-sama… night!", he said planning to escape. As he turned heading towards the exit, the three exiled captain exchanged looks, having easily understood what was plaguing Nekoru, and made at the same time an evil smirk.

"You are right … Night…. Well, so, Tessai, go to the phone – Urahara nonchalantly said waving his fan – Yoruichi, you know what to do ... And Mei-san…"

As soon as Nekoru had touched the exit, the two kid he had seen before grabbed both his arms and dragged him back in the shop.

"Where do you think to be going to? Night is still young!", Kisuke said turning at a terrified Nekoru with an amused smile while Yoruichi with a shunpo had reached the door and slammed it shut.

* * *

"Do you like this place? I built it in a single day and night", Urahara said now in a large room with a ceiling and walls painted to resemble a cloudy sky over a floor of desolate, brown, craggy land dotted with dead trees. He was sitting in a rock, Nekoru was tied up in front of him, Yoruichi besides him just listening.

"Yeah yeah….", Nekoru asked as he was forcefully dragged in the shop as Tessai was talking to the phone. He was slightly nervous at being tied up with an half naked gorgeous former captain next to him… oh, yes, and there was this crazy other shinigami who had kidnapped him for unknown reason.

"You said you have a zanpakuto afraid of its own shinigami…. Making you achieve Shikai is a challenge I cannot refuse to take on! And before you sawy something on the line of 'I do not want to' … well, you have no rightof choice", Urahara said with a grin waving his fan. He was also needing somebody to test his new invention, and Nekoru was the right person.

_After what happened to Orihime, I need all the help and resources I can afford… if they works on him… then it's a first step against Aizen, _Urahara thought

The shinigami just raised a brow at this

"I, being the wonderful man I am, shall make you achieve Shikai with three simple tests!", the eccentrical shinigami continued.

He then turned serious and asked: "But first, a question…. Have you EVER wondered why the zanpakuto should be afraid of you?"

Nekoru blinked nervously at this and bowed his head.

"To be fair, not. I never have…. I have always thought to be a nice company. Why should a zanpakuto be afraid of me?", he said. Urahara, nodded, placing his fan on a rock next to him.

"Nekoru-san – Urahara replied seriously after taking a deep sigh – your zanpakuto is not a simple weapon, but an extention of your very soul. This means that YOU are the reason the zanpakuto is afraid of you in the first place"

Nekoru raised his head surprised and said: "I… am the cause? How…? What ..? Uh? I am not afraid of myself This is utter nonsense!"

"Of course you aren't! – Urahara replied placing his chin on his walking crane, his piercing stare still on – because the zanpakuto is not afraid of you… Not just you, at least. I noticed several times your zanpakuto trembling when you were in stressed situations. And, when you were near too many high-leveled shinigami. The why is pretty simple. Nekoru Mei, you, and by extention your zanpakuto, are afraid of shinigami, especially of captains!"

At this Nekoru dropped his jaw and his eyes widened in sheer surprised, then something snapped in him.

"NONSENSE! I do not fear CAPTAINS… I mean, yes, I know they are infinitely more powerful than me… I just respect them and our gap of reiatsu", he said his voice shaking slightly.

"Well, if you don't… why are you snapping at me? Why does your voice shake. How long have you refused to recognize this fear, Mei-san?", he kept asking. He knew that Nekoru had not been truly aware of this fear, it was traumatic. Just what could have triggered it, though? Sure, NOT being afraid of captains, people who were effectively stronger than their whole division combined, was something foolish, but being so afraid to the point to the point of cripping yourself? What kind of trauma had he received?

Still, Nekoru seemed to be in denial at his statement and actually tried to quip back.

"Well, if I am so afraid of captains, how do you justify the my fight against Yoruichi 30 years ago?", he asked, thinking to have gotten a winning argument

Youruichi looked at him, then at Urahara. The two former captain busted out laughing.

"No really, you called that a fight? I barely played around!", she said, making Nekoru shake.

"But… but you…. You nearly sealed my powers!", Nekoru said trembling a bit and attempting to back away from her. Urahara raised a brow, as he was not aware of this

"Oh yeah, sorry about it. I will fix it up in no time ", she said striking again at him, her fingers entered inside the flesh of his chest. Nekoru had not way to react due to her speed, but, oddly enough, he not feeling pain at all…. Actually, quite the opposite. He felt a bit stronger. He then felt her finger open up and a bust of reiatsu inside his body. His silver-colred aura was getting visible

"Here it is – Yoruichi said letting the finger out of Nekoru's flesh - the damage was not complete, so I unsealed it! Now your reiatsu should flow a bit faster… it is like having a pain killer, you understand?", she said, noticing Nekoru's pupils dilatating.

"Yeeeaaah…", Nekoru said with an odd voice

Urahara and Yoruichi sweatdropped at this and eventually the former stated: "I think he has gotten high on his own reiatsu!"

"Uuhhh… these …. Coloooors!", Nekoru said with a dumb chuckle. Urahara sighed but then got an idea.

"So, Nekoru-san… why are you afraid of captains?"; he asked, deciding to exploit the opportunity to make him open up.

"CuZ caPTain AaaARe sCAryy…. I mEAn… tHEy kick aSs, know where I liiiiive. I can't get noooone of them an-greeeeee, or he'll kill me eheheheheehehe…. Kenpachi suffocates meee with his reishi, Mayuri wants my hands… Yamamoto can burn meeeee… Giiiiiiin oh Giiinnnn…. ARGH! UNOHANA! I forgot UNOHANA! Don't tell UNOHANA I FORGOT UNOHANA! Their reiatsu is scary … it's unfair people get soO much powwuh… Cap'n PWN…. I do nooo understand… those guyz… are people who happens to be powerhouses… or powerhouses pretending to be people… they are scary, scary scary!", an high Nekoru mumbled dumbly tilting his head..

While Yourichi was shaking Nekoru like a ragdoll till he regained control over himself, Urahara smirked and though: _Now I know what to expect from the young boy… I rightfully planned Kurosaki's arrival._

Nekoru, finally regained consciousness and Urahara said: "So, now that you have regained your lost reiatsu and finally spoke up have almost every other prerequisite needed to engage the test to achieve Shikai… you lack only some motivation, but I can fix it in no time… Yourichi!"

At Uraharas' request, the dark skinned woman faced Nekoru with a smirk and lifted up her sweated, making him nosebleed and knock him off the rock.

"Nice! Now that we all are aware we can knock you out by striking a pose, you are ready for the first test!", Urahara said.

* * *

"This is all I can tell you about their location, master!", Mendocera said on his knee, speaking to his leader, the (former) God King of Hueco Mundo. The Espada had the appearance of an elderly man with a white moustache and white hair, his face lined by large scars in the left side of his chin and across his right eye. Despite his aged appearance, Baraggan was quite stocky and muscular wearing a regal white leather coat with black fur lining; he had short sleeves and three black fur stripes running along the bottom, the remnants of his Hollow mask had the form of a five pointed crown just above his forehead. They were outside Las Noches, outside Aizen's eyes and ears reach. Barragan was standing on a throne held by the other Fraccion

"Well done, Estebanez, you are serving our master well well", Ggio Vega, a slim, male Arrancar with scruffy black hair, a short braided ponytail, golden eyes, and a rather youthful, feminine face, whose mask resembled the skull of a Saber-tooth tiger, worn on the top of his head as a helmet, said with a voice asserting superiority.

Mendocera smirked as said: "Just as every true hollow should do. After all, why should a shinigami lead … a superior species like ours?"

At this Barragan let out a nod of acknowledgement.

"Now, master, is there anything else you wishes me to do? Because I heard that Master Ulquiorra brought an… interesting human and I'd like to take a look at her… may I, master?", Mendocera asked, to which his master let out a nod. The long haired Arrancar left with a polite bow and his usual smirk

But as soon as he was outside his master's reach, his smirk turned into a worried expression. He had heard much more about this woman than he had let his Espada believe. Pratically, this woman was able to reject reality. Everything. Even death. He shivered at the thought of this.

… _What if she was to reject us? Aizen is a madman to let her live_, he thought, only to interrupt his flow as he saw a familiar figure which looked to be waiting for him, which caused him to greet his teeth and put his hand to his zanpakuto.

"Spare your usual speech, Mendocera! Not here to fight nor to threaten you"; Rotoga said. Mendocera just used his above average Pesquias to look for Marina's reatsu, as got it. She was alive and fine… apparently, Rotoga was not lying.

"You know the real reason why she was brought here, right? – Rotoga said – I think Aizen plans to draw the Shinigami here! They will be most likely after her power"

Mendocera, for once in his life, agreed with his long time foe, but still did not trust him as he asked: "You are right! What is your point?"

"Till the time we are going to crush the Gotei 13, we should make a truce!", Rotoga said. Mendocera blinked at this.

"I know I know… I hate you, you hate me…. But I hate shinigami much more than you… for once, let's avoid being at each other's throat. We'll settle our blood feud once we will win. What do you think, deal?"

Mendocera looked at him, and, incredibly enough, he did not reply, actually leaving without nor accepting nor refusing his enemy's proposal.

"You know I am right, Mendocera!", Rotoga said leaving. He had a further reason to make this truce. Indeed, Aizen had talked to the Privaron, saying that whoever might have protected the new hostage the best would have been nominated Espada once more. Now that Mendocera was out of any possible bother… he could have finally proved again his worth…. He would have risen… because power equaled fear… and nobody attack the one who inspire fear

But Mendocera did not care about it. He just wanted to crush those shinigami… immediately. He wanted them all dead.

"Hey, Meido-chan", Marina said

"Not now, Marina!", he said keeping running past her. Marina looked worried at her 'father'… what was happening to him?

_Why did you betray me, buddy?_

* * *

Test 1

"Now, Nekoru- san, wear this headband… - Urahara said, only to stop as he noticed Nekoru had an headband – hm… wait, nevermind. you already have one… it might be useless, then… if the awesome headband of justice cannot work on you, then what…?"

At that point, Urahara stopped and smirked. Immediately, he shunpoed and handed Nekoru a small watch and a note. Nekoru read it and raised a brow

"Don't worry, it will really make you stronger and protect you!", Urahara said

"Okay, Captain Kisuke Urahara-sama, I will trust you!"; he said activating the watch. A puff of smoke appeared and covered Nekoru. As he stepped out, he was wearing a new suit. His eyes were covered by a mask with opened in an upside triangle, revealing his nose and mouth. Atop his head he had a basque hat. Under his shinigami Kimono, he had a new jumpsuit white-colored with an intricate motive, at his chest his flower symbol with a "K" letter evidenced

"For Love, For Peace, For Justice – Nekoru said with a overdramatic voice brandishing his paint brush as a sword – I shall bring my firm hand to write the new destiny for the world! "

He then said triumphally his name: "KARAKURA RAIZER – PAINTER!"

He was then zapped all of sudden and, checking the note, corrected himself: "WRITER!"

"I cannot believe he really fell for it!", Yoruichi, now fully dressed, whispered to Urahara.

"This is going on YouTube!", Urahara said with a smirk waving excitedly his fan.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	9. A Muse For Inspiration

_Are people born to be hollow or have hollowness trusted upon them?_

_-__Mendocera Estebanez_

**Chapter 9: A muse for inspiration

* * *

**

Nekoru took off his new outfit, as Urahara ordered him, and returned to his normal shinigami outfit.

"Okay, you pass the first test with flying colors!", Urahara said, which roughly meant Nekoru had amused him enough to start a more serious training. He then looked at Yoruichi and she understood. With a shunpo which made Nekoru's eyes widen. She came back immediately holding a large… uh… mass of objects which reminded the young shining of his short time being Mayuri's hostage. Shaking off these memories, Urahara handed him a a brown mantle with a large draw string closure at the collar and a large brooch displaying the Shihōin family crest.

"This is… - Nekoru said amazed checking it - … the …Tentōken!"

Urahara nodded and replied: "High leveled shinigami would just channel their Reiroku to float…. But I have already proved a lengthy explanation which proved you are not one of them, so you need this. By channeling your Reiroku in this cape, you'll be able to float with next to no trouble. Don't worry, you don't need experience to control it. You can even hover in mid-air… you are going to need it for the next text … alongside these!"

He then took a set of metal gloves and boots and ordered the young shinigami to don them.

"This is an armor you need to test… in the best case, it should protect you even for blows you otherwise could not withstand… otherwise…. I am gonna need a new you!", Urahara nonchalantly said. Nekoru gulped at this and just had to ask.

"Look! You are giving me too much stuff… is the second test a fight?", Nekoru straight out asked bugged out by the antics of the former captain. He was truly finding something suspicious about Urahara and his creepy grin when waving his fan.

"Well, I admit… that I am mostly stalling you….", Urahara said calmly, making the young Shinigami turn all of sudden in surprise and drop everything he had in his hand.

"Stalling me for what?"; Nekoru asked with an hint of seriousness, in contrast of the nonchalant attitude of the former captain, who was absent-mindedly waving his fan, while Yoruichi was laying on a rock to relax. Tessai was upstairs running the shop. The only one showing serious distress was the young black haired shinigami

"Hm … - Urahara said, ignoring him – …. You should pick up back the object I gave you… actually, you should wear them as soon as possible!"

Nekoru let out a deep sigh, wrapped the Tentoken around his neck and donned first his gauntlet, then passed to his boots and let out a deep sigh.

"Can I know why you are stalling me, now?", the young shinigami asked with calmness. Urahara raised his head slowly and looked away from Nekoru, turning to his friend Tessai, who gave him a nod. And so, the former captain finally replied after taking a deep breath.

"For Kurosaki's arrival, of course!", Urahara said with a grin.

Nekoru raised a brow as he heard it. A flashback in his mind came up, one rather recent. Kurosaki, uh? Kurosaki… Kurosaki Ichigo… what Nekoru Mei knew of Ichigo Kurosaki?

_Kurosaki Ichigo _- Nekoru thought placing his hand on his chin-_ Particular sign: orange hair, a physical appearance which should not have belonged to his age (only 15 years old) and a gigantic zanpakuto… unique Bankai in terms of size, being smaller than his Shikai release. I might have fought him back in Soul Society… well, better to say he stomped on…_

"NEKORU !", a voice boomed all of sudden, breaking Nekoru's flow of consciousness as he saw Urahra's widened smirk and a large fist landed on his cheek, making him fly away with a rough landing on the rocks of the underground training area.

"Nice to see you again, Kurosaki ", Urahara said waving his fan.

"Well, you know that I cannot refuse an offer of training, especially now that my son is in danger!", said a tall man with spiky black hair and brown eyes. He had thin facial hair around his mouth and on his cheeks. He was wearing the standard Shinigami shihakusho, along with a tattered Captain's haori, worn like a sash and fastened over his left shoulder. The Division insignia could not be seen as the haori was worn presently.

Nekoru looked surprised at the man: " Captain Kurosaki Isshin-sama? I remember you… you made a special lesson in Zanjutsu"

"I am rather surprised you remember me, youngling! Urahara called me about your problem. I am gonna hone my skills I have not been practicing for twenty years… and you will learn Shikai ", Isshin said with a thumb up.

"So, I see… I will have to fight you as the second test!", Nekoru said snapping his fingers in realization. Isshin looked at Urahara, who replied letting out a laugh.

"Uh… Mei-san…. You are right about the second test being a fight…. But you got your opponent wrong!", Isshin said rubbing the back of his head, hiding a sweatdrop.

"Oh, I see! So… lemme guess, my opponent is you, Captain Kisuke Urahara!", he said, to which the blonde shinigami shook his head. Nekoru, now really puzzled, pointed at the other two former captain, but again he got an headshake.

"So, tell me? Who is my opponent?", the young shinigami asked, now looking around in confusion as the other four shinigami had circled up around him. Finally, Urahara replied to Nekoru, seeing the goose had been cooked up well enough.

"It's the four of us!", he replied waving his fan. Nekoru felt a part of him already dying. He looked at the four captain.

"One after another?"; he asked.

Urahara shook his head and stated: "Nope! All at once!".

Nekoru twitched his eye as he heard it and rubbed his head.: "All the four of you… at once?"

The blonde Shinigami replied with a nonchalant nod.

And so, the young man had to ask him: "With what army?"

The former captain looked at him and asked mockingly: "Nekoru-san, You are already outnumbered, why do you want to fight against an army as well?"

Nekoru failed to find the incredible gap in logic Urahara had intentionally done and held his head. He was getting clearly scared. His power was, as Urahara himself said, his power wasn't outstanding, comparable to a 4th seat at best, completely unable to fight against a single captain, much less four all together.

"W-w-w-w-why?", he asked them

Isshin replied: "Easy, you are afraid of captains, right? If you can defeat four of them… well, you should have no reason to fear them anymore"

Nekoru just blinked at this and asked: "Can I have at least my last bowl of ramen?"

The other shinigami shrugged, and Isshin pointed out: "I doubt you can find any shop open at this time!"

"Oh, no worries – the young shinigami said taking a bowl out of his kimono – I always carry one!"

"You…. Carry a bowl of ramen?", Urahara said raising a brow as Nekoru started eating.

"Yes, of course. I like ramen, so I carry it around. I am not the only one to do it!", Nekoru said. The captains waited: he could not spend the time eating forever.

* * *

Mendocera walked to his human leader, Sosuke Aizen, and faced him before bowing down before him. He could also feel his monstrous reiatsu, which took a slight raise as the shinigami turned to look at him. Aizen let out a smirk.

"It was about time you find the Shinigami copycat! So, where are we?", the shinigami said.

"As you correctly gyess, Aizen-sama – the hollow said bowed down – they are in Karakura Town! The periphery, around 5 kilometers from the Urahara Shop, where the Espada Ulquiorra kidnapped the human girl we are keeping in hostage! They are … uh… ten? More or less, most likely less… they seem to be quite powerful, though, their spiritual pressure is on par with lieutenants and captains"

Aizen nodded at this, his smirk always being unreadable.

"Nicely done, Estebanez… you can go", he said dismissing him with a wave of his hand.

Mendocera turned at him and asked Aizen: "Aizen-sama… might I see the hostage? I promise not to lay an hand to her, of course!"

Aizen made a light nod and let out a second hand gesture, to which Mendocera vanished in a Sonido. Aizen knew that he did not need to tell the long-haired Arrancar Orihime's whereabouts, as he could have easily tracked her down with his Pesquias.

Mendocera finally reached the room where the human was supposed to be. As he knocked the door, he heard a scared gasp.

_Yes, human, be scared!_, Mendocera thought as he opened the door. He saw, near a corner of the room, a light orange reiatsu, what he could see instead of is a teenager of average height, with brown eyes and long, waist-length burnt orange hair. Her most noticeable physical trait was her surprisingly curvaceous figure for a teenager, especially in terms of her large breasts. She wears her hair in bangs tucked behind her ears with hairpins, most of her bangs behind her ears.

Mendocera just stared at her for a bit…. Enough to keep seeing her squirming in fear. He was actually rather amused by her reaction. Why a girl with so much power, able to reject the whole world… she was actually getting scared by her.

"Why do you fear me? I have not come to hurt you!", he said, but only heard scared verses.

"You know, You should be grateful to be in the hands of the glorious Aizen-sama, otherwise you would have been killed soon!", Mendocera said in an attempt to make Orihime feel better… a very weak attempt, as he made her cry. Mendocera raised a brow at this

"Well, I guess shinigami will try to rescue you, right?", Mendocera said, to which the redhead replied only with a soft whisper. But he could hear it

"Kurosaki-san!", she had whispered. Mendocera quickly assumed this 'Kurosaki' was one of the shinigami who could have gone to her rescue .

"We are here to stop them from getting you", Mendocera stated.

At this Orihime assumed for a second a more determined stance and said: "KUROSAKI-SAN WILL SAVE ME!"

Mendocera shook his head in rage, clenching his fist and shaking his head. That woman…. Was such a bother to him. Why? Why was she letting her life in the hands of another? Why did he feel like… almost envious of it? In Hueco Mundo…. Either you eat… or get eaten… those were your only choices… nothing else.

Before Mendocera could reply, a small Arrancar, the little Marina hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck. The long-haired Arrancar just took her in his arms and held her tightly.

Before walking away from that cell, he looked at Orihime and finally answered: "Don't talk as if you are the only one with a motivation, human!"

Marina looked at Orihime and said to her adoptive father: "Meido-chan! That human had nice boobies!"

"I guess so, Marina!", he replied with a shrug

"_Can I eat her?_", the childish arrancar asked, flashing her sharp fangs and her pupils narrowing to a slit.

"I don't Aizen-sama would be happy", he commented as he kept walking across Las Noches with her

* * *

Test 2

As soon as Nekoru had finished the Ramen, the fight started. Yoruichi was the first to attack, kicking him behind his knee, making him trip. As it connected, Urahara dashed forward, revealing his zanpakuto, Benihime, hidden inside his walking cane, and swinging it at Nekoru, who managed to counter by propelling himself away from the captain couple with a shunpo strengthened by his Kido and had a rough landing, where he was greeted by Isshin's zanpakuto, which managed to block… only to discover to his horror that Tessai had tied his cald with a Kido binding spell.

A pull and Nekoru was up in the air swung around by the former Commander of the Kido Corps but eventually managed to counter it by regulating the Tentoken with his reiatsu floating and managing to start rolling up the Kido around Tessai's large forearm. But a large series of Kido platforms reached after him. Both Urahara and Isshin were walking on them, their blades sheathed and promptly reached him, each of them at his sides. It was then Nekoru had to thank the set of Anti Hierro armor, as it proved its usefulness by managing to deflecting and blocking every single strike from their blade he was not able to intercept with his own zanpakuto. After a few seconds, which looked like an eternity to the young Shinigami, Urahara and Isshin jumped away much to his surprise as he was finally able to catch some breath.

Bad move, unfortunately, as like a fury, both of Yoruichi's feet descended upon him, and he was just able to cover his face with both his forearm as the Kido platform he was standing on broke at the impact of Youruichi's devastating blow, which still sent him down the ground in a large crater.

As soon as Yoruichi jumped away, Isshin took him by surprise with an elbow straight to the forehead, then swung his sword against him, but Nekoru managed to par, only to have Tessai aim at him with a mid-level Kido blast without incantation, which Nekoru parried again with the Anti Hierro weapon.

Urahara had stopped attacking though as he attempted to focus on Nekoru's zanpakuto. Now, there was a clear reason that young Shinigami was managing to hold his own against not one but four level Captain: because they all had agreed holding back. The former shinigami captain was using the youngling to refine their skills and strategies in a team fight. Isshin had shown to be a little eager to fight, but considering it had been 20 years since he had lost and finally regained his shinigami powers, it was normal to want to train as much as possible … but still, Urahara was a bit impressed, not by Nekoru but by his zanpakuto: it was a pretty stubborn fellow.

His plan was simple: Nekoru was afraid of captain, the zanpakuto was afraid of all the shinigami. So, forcing them to fight in a prolonged duel against much more powerful shinigami opponents, so that would be forced to ally each other and finally Nekoru would achieve Shikai. But instead, the zanpakuto spirit seemed to be more stubborn in letting his wielder (and therefore, himself) die. Nekoru, on the other hand, was as if he was cracking. His hair was not anymore tied up in a ponytail but was loosened up and unkempt, a sign of the high level of stress he had been enduring.

As Yoruichi landed a punch on his chest, he was cut his wind off and now he was more alarmed than ever as he screamed in his mind: _ZANPAKUTO! HELP! HELP ME_

But no reply came to his own, until Tessai sent another kido blast to him. He felt something odd in his mind. It was something which recognized, as he parried Isshin's blow with his zanpakuto, as a mass of thought and reiatsu… he had found it, as he was scavenging his mind, looking for the voice of his spirit... he had to do it to survive his fight...

What to do once he would have come to contact with his spirit?

Then he felt it... a trace of reiatsu higher than average. It was... odd, to say the least! It was alien to him, yet very familiar. No, of course it was familiar, he realized still half focused on the fight which was slowly fading away from his eyes. It was his own…. A piece of his mind independent of his own will? So that's what his spirit was. He had never felt so close of it. Was it due to the critical situation?

Urahara was smirking as Tessai was sending a series of Kido spheres at Nekoru. Despite his mind was not as focused on the fight, he was faring quite well despite he was using what apparently was sheer instinct. But all the former captains knew that it was actually the first time he and his zanpakuto spirit were subconsciously working together.

He felt it like an abyss... he looked at the abyss and the abyss stared into him. As soon as they crossed their stares with each other, other memories resurfaced in him. But were not lots of his memories of his life... they were drawings. Masses of ink hitting a white canvas and assuming shapes and motif unknown to everybody, a path traced by the unknown hand of the artist, which crossed the boundary between life and death...

He could see them, including the recent drawing of that woman against the snowy panorama he had just done... it was, odd to say the least. It was as if he could feel the 'soul' of the ink between himself and his brush... it reminded him for a second of Konso, the ritual performed by shinigami to send pure souls to Soul Society

_Well, you are a normal human, but you live among us shinigami. You hear directly of their tales and adventures, you can see their special powers, the shikai, and yet…. You can do nothing, just watch… but if you become a shinigami, everything would change. Think of the adventure and the fame, the power you could get! Wouldn't it be beautiful? Would you like finally to gain more freedom? Not to be anymore bound to be a simple person…. But to be an hero_

Nekoru blinked at hearing this, he remembered these words... those were the words which convinced him to subscribe to Shino Academy. It was wonderful... if he wasn't such a weak shinigami... maybe if that words did not come from the greatest traitor of Soul Society...

MONSTEEEEEEEER!

It was a voice which sent Nekoru on the verge of cracking. His harmony cracked as he felt the spiritual pressure of the four captains. But that was not the matter. Hinging on the place he heard that voice, which was his zanpakuto's, Nekoru started talking, at first aloud, but the more he was focusing on it, the more his voice shifted into his mind

Urahara, seeing how Yoruichi was slowly stopping in her attempts to land a blow at Nekoru, alternated by Tessai's kido and Isshin's swordsmanship. They were now fighting less and less to allow the young shinigami to comply his second test.

"I can't believe we succeeded!"; Yoruichi sighed

"Why, did you have any doubt?", Urahara said with a grin waving his fan

"Well, that zanpakuto was pretty much suicidal – Isshin stated sitting down – I am a bit saddened by it! But I guess not every zanpakuto is like Engetsu!"

"Well, Nekoru-san seems more an exception that the rule – Tessai stated cracking his knuckles and moving uncomfortably close to Urahara – now we have drawn his spirit. Out of necessity the spirit will collaborate with his wielder and he'll learn Shikai… but do you think we did the right thing, Urahara? I mean, sure, I am glad to have helped him…. But he's not our main objective!"

Urahara switched to a more serious expression and replied with a nod: "I know…. I too feel a bit like wasting my time, but there are many reason I am helping him. One, I can see how my invention are working, this alongside our strategies. Also, we need every help we can. Nekoru might not be powerful, but any help against Aizen and to rescue Orihime is welcome! I have still have a … few things to do before it, you know it"

"Of course", Yoruichi said with a nod waiting for Nekoru.

* * *

_Hello_, Nekoru greeted his zanpakuto spirit who started feeling his presence.

The spirit, who had just noticed Nekoru's presence, just snapped at him with a: Oh NO! NOT YOU AGAIN,

Nekoru, now resolute, replied: _Yes, that's me! Long time we don't see each other_

PLEASE GO AWAY, the spirit cut in scared off.

But this time Nekoru was not going to give up so easily and said_: I don't want to hurt you_

NO, SHINIGAMI ARE MONSTERS! THEY CAN DESTROY ANYTHING AT THEIR PATH, I WON'T LET you... PLEASE, GO AWAY, the spirit said, which usually was enough to make Nekoru back off, but to his surprise, only these words came from Nekoru.

_Is that all? Fine, now it's my turn do you really think we are monster? –_ Nekoru replied only to immediately continue before his spirit could reply - _Well, Hollows do... so why not us shinigami? I am currently interested in keeping my kin down… and we have to work together to achieve this…. Together like a team_

It … - the Spirt said – it sounds odd... but many books and masterpiece of literature and art showed me it is not unusual… You know what? I accept! I will give you a try! You are gonna see my world!

In the outside world , Nekoru's wrist had frozen, his zanpakuto trembling on his own and his isises had unnaturally shrunken at feeling such a reiatsu. Why did something like this went to disturb his harmony made of art... what was that thing which was killing it. He started breathing heavily. Urahara narrowed his eyes

"That bastard of a zanpakuto – Urahara said – I did not plan of that spirit to make a trap… well, young boy, show him what you are made of!"

* * *

Nekoru's eyes widened as he entered inside his inner world… it was, to say the least, wonderful to him. Being a painter, Nekoru had always loved art, especially the one he was born with, coming from the Edo era…. And his world exactly looked like coming straight from one of those painting.

His Zanpakuto's world resembled the Japanese art. The boards were tick and clearly marked but the colors were tenuous and oddly relaxing, with the sky looking like being about sunrise with the light colors of light purple and passing to the light orange on the borders. Around him there was drawn a small village, with the houses in clear Japanese style, occasionally a black withered tree which looked like well made ink. On the background, the imposing Fujiyama all covered by snow.

"Wow! Beautiful! Truly a masterpiece of my mind", Nekoru said shedding a tear as an invisible hand drew the kanji of his words. The he felt an odd presence and rolled on the side dodging a large shuriken. It looked like it was hastily drawn, and Nekoru faced the direction it had come from.

"You bastard. It was a trap!", the young shinigami said narrowing his eyes and facing his zanpakuto spirit, standing atop a tree

_Unbelievable! A monster able to understand beauty!__,_ the Zanpakuto said, ignoring Nekoru's statement. He was a fall, over 6 feet tall muscle man with white hair whose bangs covered his eyes. He wielded a spear and had a paintbrush over his right ear. He was wearing a toga. Again his words were impressed in the sky, only to fade away in the sky.

"Oh... so it's you! We meet at last! My name is Nekoru Mei! Yours?", the shinigami said, but all of sudden, the zanpakuto threw at him the spear.

_Show me whether you are a beast or not! Face me, demon__!_, the Zanpakuto said as he used his paintbrush to draw another spear.

"Okay, that's it!", Nekoru said looking for his sword, only to discover he did not have it. So the zanpakuto smirked. With one hand he kept drawing spears and the others threw it against Nekoru. Luckily for the young shinigami, he was still trained enough to dodge and duck. It was then he got an idea and took his own paintbrush, standing on his left ear. He used a spear to bounce up to reach the tree and as he saw another spear thrown, he drew a shield and blocked the spear, making the spirit gasp in surprise.

The zanpakuto spirit drew a giant barrier (actually a mass of ink which instantly turned solid) and jumped on another tree. Nekoru replied by drawing a door over the barrier and opening it landing on another branch

Nekoru smirked as he drew better the branch to improve his balance as he nonchalantly said to the zanpakuto: "You are not bad!"

_Well, neither you are a lousy fighter__,_ the zanpakuto stated with a proud voice, but this made the young painter just raise a brow

"Fighter? – Nekoru repeated – You misunderstand, pal. The way you fight is actually arguable, but that was not what I was talking about. I actually meant that your drawing style is not bad! I saw better but… Kudos!"

The zanpakuto spirit just stared dumbfounded at him as Nekoru continued: "I like the spear design... but it's a bit too crude. I would use something like a longer and more elaborated blade and a shorter hilt... Also, less black, it makes them clash with the background! Seriously, too many of them become an eyesore"

_You think so?__,_the zanpakuto asked sitting down the branch, making the boy nod as he sat in front of him. And so a fire forged friendship was born as they started discussing about art and, occasionally, drew together their works.

The spirit finally let out a large laughter of happiness as he let out a sigh and talked in a friendly tone.

_I have to admit, Mei-san…. To be a monster, you are not bad, and your tastes in drawing are reasonable. You know, I think you are right, we need to team up against those other shinigami … Let's start off by telling you my name: I am called Scripturae Musa!_, the zanpakuto spirit revealed

"Nice to know your name, Musa-sama! I hope this is the start of a good friendship! - Nekoru said shaking hand with the zanpakuto - Just a question, though... why do you think shinigami are monsters?

_Do you really want to know?_, Musa asked a bit tentative.

"Yes, I do! Show me the reason of our fears!", Nekoru said.

_Well, there was that kid who nearly had you executed because you had his headband on, or that girl who gave us that funny murderous stare because we glanced a bit at Yoruichi-sama… and let us not forget that the current Captain of the Twelfth Division who nearly cut off your hands… Unohana-sama… well, she speaks for herself. Gin's smile is about as devious as him. But the things which convinced me to back down was another person…_ - he said using the paintbrush to make the unmistakable silhouette of Zaraki Kenpachi – _that guy… the one and the only… his spiritual pressure is … monstrous… to the point I became afraid of this… what if power corrupt us?_

Nekoru listened at this carefully and nodded. He fully understood his spirit: he saw how many captain were …. Eccentric, to say the least. Even Urahara was a bit insane in his own right. Only Joshiro Ukitake seemed decent.

"I occasionally wondered… more than once… if captains were people who happened to be powerhouses or powerhouses who just pretended to be people! And Aizen, who seemed among the nicest people around…. Yep, it seems the more they are powerful, the more they are detached to reality… But still, we need some power to keep going forward… will you help me, Scripturae Musa? You are also the one who can keep me in check if I go power-mad. Please, do your best!", Nekoru said tending him his hand, which the spirit again shook. The world was slowly fading and Nekoru was returning to the real world

"It's okay, Mei-san…. Now, before I forget… the command release is…"; the zanpakuto said slowly fading away.

* * *

Urahara waved his fan at Nekoru. He, alongside Tessai, Isshin and Yoruichi had looked over Nekoru's discussion with his zanpakuto and, after a moment which seemed of real distress, characterized by his shrunken irises and unnatural sweating, which culminated when Nekoru started sweating some blood. But after this, the crisis had passed soon and now he looked normal as he branded with a renewed determination and pride and finally said the command release of his zanpakuto.

"DRAW MY MASTERPIECE, SCRIPTURAE MUSA!", he yelled as his reiatsu rose to his peak. The sword glowed of a silvery light, accompanied by the four captains' smile. The first part which showed up was the new hilt, of a beige color and a more elaborate black decoration which looked like a scroll, with at the end a seal which resembled Nekoru's flower with eight petals he used as a symbol. But the part which drew the most attention was the blade… While at first sight it looked like a black version of the blade in its sealed state. But as it was looked closer, it was possible to see it was not only fully solid, but it dripped a black liquid. Nekoru could easily recognized it was actually …

_Ink?, _he said in wonder. He was actually a bit disappointed by the fact he did not have something so much impressive looking.

"Better to stay away from me... the strains will never go off your clothes!", Nekoru jokingly commented in a lame attempt to look threatening.

_Couldn't you think something deathlier than that? At best we are going to become the terror of laundries, not hollows_, the boy told his spirit with an inwar sigh.

I'm a painter, not a berseker!, Scripturae Musa said with a shrugh to justify himself

"Well done, Mei-san… you achieved Shikai… second test passed with a decent score… around a C+! – Urahra said, then he let out an evil smirk filled with malice – Now, Tessai, Yoruichi, Isshin… you know what to do!"

With this, the three former captains had run into an impressive speed, so much they made Nekoru freak out.

Yoruichi charged up all her reiatsu on her back and arm, making it turn visible in a series of white lightings. Nekoru just could hear the word "Shrunko" as her punch connected to his right Anti Hierro armored glove, which got shattered to pieces. Nekoru did not have time to look in horror at this as Tessai made his move.

"Hadō 91. Senjū Kōten Taihō", he said casting the Kido, generating around ten pink energy points and firing them all at the same focal point where the intended target resided, which just happened to be his left armored boot . The culminating explosion was exceedingly devastating, and flung Nekoru in air, now with only two pieces of armor intact…

Well, just one, actually, because the right boot disappeared immediately after Isshin jumped up and sheathed his sword saying only two words: "Getsuga Tenshō"

When Nekoru landed, his eyes were widened and was trembling. Urahara just looked at the whole one-sided fight and shunpoed next to the young shinigami as he looked at the fragments of the armor, taking some notes, apparently not caring about the panting Nekoru who was simply amazed he was alive after so many attack which would have normally crushed him without even giving him the opportunity to scream.

"I am truly impressed… the armor needs quite some work. Sure, the attack were stong and I am amazed that you are still alive…. Apparently, this armor still manages to protects its bearer even after it falls to pieces… still needs to be strengthened to resist at least a Shikai from a captain-leveled Shinigami - Urahara mumbled, he then pretended to notice Nekoru and greeted him – Oh hi Mei-san, there you are. How are you?"

"HOW CAN I BE STILL ALIVE?", Nekoru screamed still in disbelief, holding onto his zanpakuto who was screaming the same as well. They had been completely surprised by such a swift display of power from their foes.

"I will speak bluntly Mei-san, the only reason you lived is because we just hit your amor and, to be fair, we did our best to aim at it. We have been nice guys who helped you achieve Shikai, Mei-san…. But I am not satisfied yet! Now we need to learn its limitation before getting out – Urahara said retaking his sword – so, as you managed to level up, I will level up as well. Awaken, Benihime!"

Urahara's zanpakuto took the form a sleek, medium-sized sword whose blade was straight and slim with the tip ending in a slanted razor-like edge instead of being tapered to a point. The grip had a gentle decorative bend that ends at a crimson tassel dangling from the pommel. It had was a U-shaped decoration covering the first three or four inches of blade, with a flower petal design just as it met a red string wrapped thrice around the hilt, with a three-loop bow on one side and a folded paper decoration on the other.

"Now it's time for your third test. Knock off my hat before I kill you, Mei-san!"; Urahara said wielding his blade and rushing at him

Test 3

Nekoru did not have the time to parry him so he jumped away from him. Due to his fear, his whole blade melted off in a long black trial of ink on the ground, leaving Nekoru with only the hilt. Urhara walked over the trail as he slashed his sword, summoning a large crimson blast of reiatsu, which Nekoru dodged, leaving part of his kimono slightly burnt off.

_Scripturae Musa… Monster before us… no blade, what we can do?_, Nekoru asked in his mind to his zanpakuto, now only an hilt.

The spirit laughed off at this and his voice resounded in Nekoru's mind: Do not worry, man! I have a plan…you see, our power is INK manipulation, thefore, it does not matter if our blade is left to pieces… we can still control it… you know what it means, right? 

_That he's walking on our blade?_, Nekoru asked as it kept dodging Urahara's blasts.

That is correct… say this alongside me!, Scripturae Musa replied with a smirk, as Nekoru said his first Shikai Command

"Encaustrum Glaudium Minime Solidum Statum", Nekoru said in a rush and moving his hilt closely to the inky trail, slashing up as the hilt moved up to Urahara. The former captain jumped away at the move, with an amused smirk and jumped down, his blade aiming to slash down Nekoru.

Nekoru listened at his spirit asd said: "Maxime Solidum Statum"

The zanpakuto solified to his normal form and managed to block Urahara's attack, but he had underestimated the Captain strength, who was managing to deflect his blade away.

"Liquidum Statum"; Nekoru said turning his blade into liquid ink, wrapping his zanpakuto around Urahara's and shooting jets of ink at Urahara, who dodged by tilting his head, though some of the drops of ink ended up on his coat, slightly burning it.

Urahara flash stepped away and Nekoru shot a larger jet of Ink at Urahara, which parried by summoning a shield.

"I have to admit… your zanpakuto is very funny… but I doubt I can kill Arrancar with fun, so you outlive your usefulness! Shibari, Benihime!", Urhara said condensing the energy generated by Benihime into the form of a tangible blood red, narrow and elongated net, and jumping from above he threw it over Nekoru with a simple slashing motion. The net further bound and restricted the movements of the young shinigami by constricting to his form.

Nekoru was panicking, but the zanpakuto assured him and and him shouting "Encaustrum bullae" he generated a series of ink bubbles around a diameter of two feet around Urahara, some of them had a reddish hue, but otherwise they seemed harmless. Urahara knew they were surely dangerous, but decided to play it along and pretend to ignore it. He was too curios to see what Nekoru was up too… but did not wish to let his guard down, so he said another thing.

"Hiasobi, Benihime, Juzutsunagi!", He said stabbing the net creating orbs of fire along the outside length of the net, which explode like linked land-mines in a domino formation leading toward the intended target that is bound under the net

NOW!, the zanpakuto said and Nekoru swung his blade as he screamed: "Encaustrum dardi!"

Nekoru shot a dozen of black drops which went solid and took the shape of darts. Urahara nonchalantly dodged the darts directed to him as the explosions had nearly reached him. Nekoru sighed as his plan had succeded. He was not aiming at Urahara, for he knew the blond shinigami was too fast for him… the bubble he generated, on the other hand, was an easy target, which exploded in an inky bust of reiatsu. All the other bubble did the same, and the whole underground training area was almost flooded in ink , even splashing the other captains who were looking at the spectacle… AND one of them exploded before Urahara's face, knocking off his now ink-stained hat. Before the explosions could reach him, the former captain sealed back Benihime, as Nekoru panted exhausted. His blade was now as big as a dagger, which meant he had used up most of his reiatsu in that fight and especially that attack.

Urahara looked at him in a funny way.

"Did I pass the third exam?", Nekoru asked him and obtained a stained nod. He could not understand his expression as he had covered his face with ink and had a fan (luckily, not ink-stained) over it.

Urahara replied "You passed it, reaching my expectation… but I don't know if you are going pass the next test!"

Nekoru blinked confused by such a statement and actually pointed out: "Pardon me, what? Have you not said there were going to be only three tests?"

"Oh really, you thought so? – Urahara asked waving his fan nervously – me too! We have a lot in common… but not this one: I am NOT the one who is going to clean all this ink off!"

Nekoru raised a brow as Urahara handed him a mop, so the former captain further explained pointing at himself: "THIS is my favorite hat … and, below it, there is my favorite face… and you see over there? THAT is my favorite Yoruichi… and all over here… THIS is my favorite underground training area… and now I have ink all over them! Clean them off!"

Test 4

Nekoru just let out a nervous chuckle at this and asked: "Are you… Kidding?"

The reply was the released Benihime on his neck, Urahara's spiritual pressure largely visible. The young shinigami gulped alongside his zanpakuto and started cleaning.

"Sorry to have squirted ink all over you face, Captain Yoruchi-sama!", the young boy said as he used a mix of the mop and his zanpakuto to absorb the ink.

"It's okay, kiddo – Yoruichi jokingly said rolling her eyes- it's the first time you released!"

* * *

"Nice job, Mei-san – Urahara said waving his fan joyfully and showing off his now clean hat – you passed four tests out of three. And you amused me enough… plus, your video is among the most seen on the internet!"

Nekoru nodded, a bit tired about having spent all that time cleaning off the whole underground area, a bit confused about the last part, though.

"Now that you have achieved shikai, though, it's time to be serious! - Urahara said sitting down before him – Mei-san, you got shikai and, while you might not have gotten over your fears of captain, you are now able to stand on your feet and not to cow in fear, which is a rather step forward. But I warn you, your fear is not unjustified: during your training, we all held back. We pretended to play more seriously only for a few seconds, and if you did not have the Anti-Hierro armor, you would have been easily lost your limbs at best! So… just because you got a nice power up… do not get over your head. Remember, so far the synopsis of your story is you getting beaten up and stumbling into something. You might not allow yourself such a luxury from now on!"

Nekoru nodded as he placed his now sealed zanpakuto and, as looked to it, he replied: "We understand"

"Which bring us onto my next request … You see, a friend of Ichigo Kurosaki's, who I guess you know he's Isshin's son, Orihime Inoue, has been kidnapped by Aizen's Arrancar. I have already sent him and a group of friends of his into Hueco Mundo, but they might not be enough. As I helped you getting your Shikai… Might you help him going into Hueco Mundo and rescue her?"

* * *

Mendocera was standing atop one of the tower in Las Noches. Indeed, his worst assumptions were right. Shinigami had arrived and were attempting to storm Las Noches in an attempt to rescue that human girl. The Privaron Espada had rushed against most of them, while currently one of the Espada, Aaroniero, was engaging one of them in a fight. Rotoga was nowhere to be seen, but people suspected he was going to show up all of sudden for a sneak attack against any shinigami.

But he was wondering further about another person he might have met. His buddy… he was the closest thing he had to a friend and instead he was a human, no, worse, a shinigami. How many of his species could he have killed? And yet… Mendocera felt unable to truly hold a grudge against him… but his buddy was a shinigami, he would have never shown pity against him… unlike he had done. Sure, he had spared him only to let him fight against that Visored… but THAT was mercy in the eyes of an Hollow like him. And yet, he felt like he would have met him again. Now the question was… what would have he done? Pierce his buddy's heart and devoured him for having dared to deceive him the moment their stares would cross… or just talk him down? After all, they had managed to keep a reasonable conversation most of the time, before … well, their respective secret had come out.

There was a further preoccupation of his: Marina. Sure, she was an Arrancar, but she was just a child. He though she was even less of a century old, due to her antics. She would have fought against the shinigami for it was her nature, and occasionally had tried chomping other Arrancar. Indeed, he was forced to make an order which she could not disobey to:

_Do not eat anything standing on two legs and possessing less than two limbs who has a mix of shinigami and hollow energy._

He had also ordered two Numeros-Level (the weakest) Arrancar, namely Raul Ibanez and Durante Dormire, to escort Marina deep down the Forest Of Menos, where she could have rested in piece, protected by the two Arrancar, the Guardian Of the Forest and his group of Adjuchas, the large presence of mindless Gillian as food and of course, the fact no shinigami sane enough would diverge his path from Las Noches to visit an area like that. Sure, there was that mysterious killer who occasionally roamed around, but Mendocera assumed it was little more than a rumor, the kind of equivalent of the so called boogeyman for the humans. He had occasionally wondered if that rumor came from an hollow, but he had never time to elaborate on it… nor he would have right now, as his flow of consciousness was stopped by him noticing the spiritual pressure of his superior Fraccion Ggio Vega.

"Any order from Master Barragan?", Mendocera asked

"Yes, Estebanez… Master Barragan was told that the top Espada are going to follow Aizen in Karakura Town so that he can finally complete his plans … and their Fraccion are going with them", Vega said with a grin

"Oh, if those are Lord Aizen's order – Mendocera said with a smirk – who am I to disobey?"

"Yes, that's what Master Barragan ordered you. He does not trust Aizen enough to leave Las Noches unguarded… and he chose to leave you behind! Here you will fight back shinigami and warn us of any changing situation. You will arrive later to report and further support us!", Vega replied with a malicious grin which Mendocera did not seem to mind.

"Master Barragan's will shall be done!", he simply replied raising his zanpakuto. He felt the bloodlust boiling in his veins…. Soon enough Shinigami would have felt the power of the blades of Las Noches. After all, if the top three Espada were the ones going to leave… there would still be other seven. Plus, a little surprise called Wonderweiss Margela. He knew what kind of reiatsu was hidden behind the façade of a cretin boy.

Nothing could have gone wrong… for the sake of hollowkind. For Hollowity

TO BE CONTINUED…


	10. Vengeance in the Hollow World

_Food is a state of life. We live with it_

_-Marina Juanitas_

**Chapter 10: Vengeance in the Hollow World**

* * *

Tia Harribel. Tercera Espada, formerly Vasto Lorde. A woman among the Espada, and completely different by most of them: calm, taciturn, level-headed and analytical, preferring _not_ to engage in combat; content with silently observing both parties until the fighting reaches its conclusion, and refused to fight unless she or her Fracción are challenged or ordered by her superior, and strongly opposed the notion of killing others, especially if done to gain power. Despite this, she was not to be taken lightly: she was one of the best Espada in terms of swordsmanship, a highly proficient tactician, and her power was enough to demolish the entire of Las Noches if let out. She was in her room, meditating

No fool would have never tried to make so much of an ambush at her, not even fellow Espada, the weaker ones would have been swiped down by the mighty of her sword, the one on par with her would have engaged in a fight where the results would have been mostly collateral damages to the Hollow fortress.

But there was in fact one who always tried to take her by surprise. Every single day the intruder sneaked inside her room and with little steps closed distances with the immensely powerful Tercera Espada. Two glowing eyes were staring at the powerful former Vasto Lorde and then a jump with a scream breaking the silence.

"YAYYYYY!", Marina Juanitas, a five years old looking little redhead, yelled as she glomped the Arrancar she was the fondest of, burying her head in Harribel's well endowed chest. The Espada had felt her spiritual pressure from a mile and had enough experience and her power she know she could have incinerated the little girl with a single blow. Luckily for her, Harribel too was fond of the little child and, while she had never openly expressed her thought aloud, the fact which was letting such a small hollow wrap her arms around her could speak more than a thousand of words to any other inhabitant of Las Noches, who could never think or the Tercera to show a direct affection for someone. Instead, Marina could always hug her and, in certain moment when Harribel felt sweet, she could go so far to pet her. Much to Marina's bliss, this was one of these days, as she realized when she felt Harribel's gloved hands running through her hair.

"Hi Harribel"; she said looking up to the blonde woman, to which the Espada made a nod of acknowledgement at this as she kept petting the small child. She let out a sigh thinking of this: Marina was a child. Maybe she was older than she looked, but both her mindset and appearance were the one of a child… and she was there. In her room. Harribel cared a lot for her, but knew a thing: a child like her was not fit in Las Noches. This place was a warrior fortress, where the worst and most powerful creatures in Hueco Mundo lived for two single reason: serve Aizen and kill Shinigami.

Marina … well, she had never met Aizen, and most likely any Shinigami at at all. Every time they were using that word she did nothing but tilt her head confused. Nobody had bothered to reply her, either not to scare her away or because she was not worth their time. Harribel, of course, belonged to the fomer kind of Arrancar. Her expression slightly grimaced as she stood up, still holding the little child. She had always tried to take her on her side: for some reason, she had never liked much Mendocera. He was much gentler than most Arrancar, but there was something which made her wary of him. He was too … she could not point exactly what was the thing which made Mendocera bug her, but was sure I was here.

"Why are you stopping petting me, Tia?", Marina asked her looking her from her comfy spot, making the Tercera snap back to reality and, yes, resume caressing her head.

"Ehi Harribel? – Marina called looking at Harribel, to which she looked down again – where is your hollow? Despite you show much, I've never seen it"

Harribel blinked at this singular request and then let Marina sat on her lat, as she did, she leant her hand and told her the truth.

"Wow… it's… in an inner organ? It's so rare", she asked in wonder. **(Reference from the new Bleach Databook Unmasked - note by a disgusted author)**

"Yes! I am Espada of Sacrifice, so I think it's…. fitting", she said and again Marina hugged her, burying her head in her chest.

Harribel felt a presence immediately and stood up. Marina afraid just dug her head further in the Espada's bosom, slightly tuning to see who was.

Harribel's star noticeably harderened as two numeros reached inside her room, waiting for her approval to enter at the edge of the door. She would not have let them in. She stood up still holding Marina in her arms , with her piercing and cold voice, she asked the Numeros: "What are you doing here?"

At her speaking, the two lesser Arrancar backed down and Marina, to further mock them: "Are you here to touch her b…."

Harrible pushed her hand on the head of the small child pressing it against her chest, di to avoid her speaking further and break the atmosphere.

"What are you going here?"; she repeated to the two men, nearly freezing their blood.

"We are here… to take that child…..", the first Arrancar, tall, blonde, with a mask shaped like two horns on his forehead, said, controlling his trembling as he pointed at Marina, something which made the Vasto Lorde Arrancar stare at him deathly.

"It ... is… order of Estebanez", the other Arrancar, shorter with brunette hair, attempted to justify himself, but this made only Harribel leak a bit of her golden reiatsu and, despite it was a fraction of it, both Arrancar were on the verge of collapsing at feeling it. She took slow steps towards them, making them nearly faint.

"Estebanez…. You speak about Estebanez? Well, you can tell that Fraccion that if he wants his daughter back… he should not send any other… - she said with a cold voice – but come here himself…"

"YAY! MEIDO-chan!", Marina said interrupting the Espada, making Harribel slightly widen her eyes as the small child managed somehow to break her grip and squish away from the large bosom and jumped on the head of the shorter Arrancar, then lightly bit the head of the other.

"Can I eat ….?"; she asked, but all of sudden remembered the order of her adoptive father.

_Do not eat anything standing on two legs and possessing less than two limbs who has a mix of shinigami and hollow energy._

"Awww… okay", she said sighing and resting her head on the Arrancar, her mouth drooling a bit.

Harribel still had her cold and stoic expression, but deep down… she felt a bit heartbroken. She had always treated Marina with respect and love…. Why had she always preferred Mendocera to her…? She just did not understand. Or maybe… she did

_Such a strong bond… able to transcend through Hollow nature… I thought I was the only one to have broken it…. By unifying my Fracciones with each other… and even despite I always saw them around… I had never understood… I hope you are going to treat her well for the time being… Mendocera… The wars against Shinigami is approaching… and we might not survive this._

Those were the thought of the Tercera Espada as she moved towards the Fraccion, never taking the stare off Marina. She then took her a last time and hugged her.

"Calm down and cheer up Marina. I will take you up once this stupid skirmish with Shinigami is over, alright? - she said, making Marina smile at her as she looked up – you and me till the end alright… You'd have always been a great Fraccion"

"Thanks Harribel-chan. You too would be a great Fraccion!", Marina said imitating her compliment, which would have backfired had she talked to any Espada but the Tercera. The other two Arrancar were sweatdropping at her childishness. Little they knew that it had made Harribel, under her jacket and hollow mask smile. They held hand for a bit as then the Numeros started leaving as Harribel made a nod at them. Marina's fingers slipped off Harribel's gloved hand. A last wave to each other as the Arrancar turned the corner of the hallways.

Harribel was the Tercera Espada, one of the strongest hollow in Hueco Mundo… yet she had no freedom. Her power did not allow her to be free of any duty… and would have never let her see Marina again in this life.

* * *

The young Shinigami Nekoru was blinking at the request of the man known as Urahara Kisuke. That man had made him achieve Shikai after, of course, him go through hell. He had to fight against four captains. What that meant? Well, once one of them, namely Yoruichi, had managed to two-shot him so easily he had no time to react to her moves. He could not help but pass out. Not only had he fought against her, but other three person on her level. It was a level of stress nobody should endure, as to even achieve the slimmest of the hope he had to milk out every single equipment he had at his disposal to manage to hold them off for enough time and achieve Shikai.

The craziest part of this, was that, of course, the plan had actually worked smoothly. Well, almost smoothly. The only thing Urahara had not planned was Nekoru splattering ink all over the place, but thankfully a few death threats to him and a mop had resolved the situation and the Urahara's shop was saved once more form the eternal forces of evil and dirt. After this, Urahara had gotten a call and had disappeared for a few minutes, only to return as cheerful as ever after a while, with his grin and waving fan. Nekoru had learnt to fear that expression in a few hours.

Now all of them were relaxing? Nekoru and Urahara were discussing, Ishin was eating snack he had brought from home, Tessai was still fixing the shop up and lastly Yoruichi was laying down on the table taking a nap or just relaxing. Nekoru tried more than once to take a stealth look at her, but every time Yoruichi looked back at him with a smirk only to make him fluster. After all, he was trying to out-stealth HER, the greatest assassin in the history of Soul Society: he had it coming.

What Nekoru did not expect, though, had not come from Yoruichi, though ….. was then Urahara's request. It was rather simple in theory… the way he had put it was utterly

"What about a trip in Hueco Mundo to help Ichigo save his friend?", was Urahara's request in a few words.

Nekoru blinked and rubbed his temples. He and Ichigo had barely interacted with each other (effectively, their only interaction was the redhead knocking him out in a blow while being in a hurry) and he did not feel such a need to succor him, and just felt a bit…. Out of place. After all, just a few seconds ago, Urahara had said that, shikai or not, he was pretty much a weakling. Therefore he was forced to speak up, but in all his puzzlement, the young shinigami managed to utter only two words.

"Hueco Mundo?", he repeated, rather confused by such a situation. Hueco Mundo… he knew very little of Spanish, but he knew what it meant

_Hollow world…_, he thought in his mind.

"Yes, that Hueco Mundo, the home place of the hollow. Simple one, Menos Grande, Adjuchas, even Vasto Lorde. Of course, this would be what you'd see normally. But, as Aizen took it over, the situation must be much worse. You are going up against an organized army of Arrancar, hollows with such powers they could take a captain single-handedly", Urahara said with nonchalance, making Nekoru and his zanpakuto tremble in resonance this time.

"And I…", Nekoru said, only to have Urahara cut him in

"… Of course, even supposing you are going to defeat them all, you then will be up against not one, but three other captain, all of them with a shikai stronger than the other and a reiatsu powerful enough to knock you out only just concentrating. Most likely your ultimate Ink attack will not even strain their clothes… and they wear WHITE!", Urahara continued still nonchalantly waving his fan

"So you are kidding, right? I am not really going in Hueco Mundo in a suicide Mission?"; Nekoru asked snapping once more

"Of course you are!", Urahara answered with the subtleness of an anvil.

"But I am never going to pull it off alone!", the young Shinigami retorted getting nervous at the Shinigami, who again managed to put him down with a single sentence.

"Are you sure? And what about the support of all the captain you met…. If some of them were to support them…. I mean, in your opinion, Unohana, Mayuri, Kenpachi, Byakuya….. do you think they would not cheer you up? Can't you think what they could tell you? They are actually supporting you from afar, with their trust relying on you. Can't you think what they are going to tell you? Close your eye, use your imagination", he declared triumphant in another pep talk. He had lost faith in Urahara (or rather, he was now sure that he was doing half of the things for self-amusement and the other to screw with others and maybe the rest to genuinely help others) but as he did not feel like retorting once more with his own reserves of reiatsu that were pretty much barely enough to make him pass for a human while Urahara's were practically the same before the training.

Somehow, something was working, and indeed he could hear four voices,,, and not simply four voices of the captains Urahara had listed. They were all praising him… well, their own personal way.

_Remember to stay safe in Hueco Mundo. Your health is what matters the most. Only your own health is the thing which should matter to you ^^_, That had to be Unohana's comforting, yet somehow scary voice. Her way when she had said 'only' had sent shivers down Nekoru's back

_Painter boy, you really got a power up? Nice, your hands must be now much more valued and nice. Ku ku ku…_ Well, at least Mayuri had done his best to praise him… at least, he thought so. It was very difficult to understand when Mayuri was serious or not. He and Urahara were very akin…. Much more they could think

_Maybe after this trip of ours, we might have a fight, now that you have Shikai, _Kenpachi's voice boomed, making Nekoru regret in an instant all the training he had just done. His zanpakuto was agreeing with him, sadly enough

_Hi Neko Neko! I missed your pastries_, Yachiru had said… well, being Yachiru, it was no surpise.

_I think I recognize that headband… wasn't it mine? Yoruichi, had you been hiding it for so much time from me on his head?_, And this how was supposed to be Byakuya's praise? After all, yes, Nekoru had understood that the headband had to belong him a long time ago, but why was a fantasy pointing this out? There was something iffy in this…

_Eh eh eh, yep!, _And so, Yoruichi's voice that was replying to Byakuya, instead of asking Nekoru out, made the young Shinigami understand his fantasy was going out of control, and indeed asked for his zanpakuto spirit for help

Uh…. Mei-san, maybe you should open your eyes, the zanpakuto stated a bit too shyly, and made Nekoru inwardly blink, but he still obeyed only to see that… his fantasy was not a fantasy. The captains were really there, speaking to Tessai and Yoruichi

It was the truth. Urahara was next to him, struggling to hold back a laughter as his eyes were looking at the young Shinigami.

Nekoru tried to make an epic speech to put Urahara down, but between his rage, discomfort for being around so many captains, tiredness and all the other emotions which were storming in his head like a hurricane, he managed to yell only three words.

"Why Urahara? WHY?", he cried in exasperation alongside his zanpakuto. The former captain replied with a playful smirk and subsequently ignored him to greet the other captain. Was he doing this to further anger the young boy and make him stand up to captains? Or was he just screwing around with him? Both? Who knew? Urahara was not going to tell regardless.

Frustrated, Nekoru and his zanpakuto reached the group. He was amazed that there were so many Captain-leveled Shinigami. Over seven… and he was not feeling that dozing discomfort back at the time of the Visored. He was also surprised by the small number of seated member, among which the lieutenant and the 7thseat of the 4th division, Yachiru, as usual on Kenpachi's shoulder, and various member of the 12th division (or,to use an offensive term for the members of the 12th division, 'bombshells'). Nekoru noticed among the first thing that Mayuri seemed to have slightly changed his look since the attack of the Ryoka: his face paint had changed, his ear attachments had become shorter and rounder but wider, his teeth had become a golden color, and he no longer wore a hat as there was a golden frame around his face. His hair was also styled into "horns," that sloped down from the top of his head and frame his face,

But it was one more particular surprised Nekoru, and not in the good way: among Mayuri's squad members, there was his lieutenant and daughter, the petite and yourthful Nemu Kuroysuchi. Petite and youthful, Nemu had green eyes and black hair with slightly parted bangs and is pulled back into a long braid. Her expression is almost always melancholic, and it is rare to see her smile or show any real joy in her distinctive green eyes. Her uniform consists of a short black kimono with a white nagajuban under it. The sleeves of her kimono are not as wide as those worn by most Shinigami and the upper parts of the sleeves are puffed. She wears a traditional wide white obi with a red cord fastening it. On her left sleeve is her lieutenant's armband. In addition she wears white gloves that cover only the back of her hands and wrists; as well as a dark red choker.

The young shinigami was shocked at seeing the girl who resembled that horrific doll who had pinned him down back when Mayuri tried for the first time to amputate him. She looked down and shyly muttered something which sounded like: "I understand why he wants your hands"

Even despite her beauty, the compliment was excessively disturbing to the young Shinigami, but his thoughts were interrupted by Urahara's speech.

"Ladies and gentleman – the businessman acclaimed placing his hat to cover his eyes, still wanting to play around a bit before getting serious about the matter – pay all attention to me… yes, even you, painter boy and your creepy girlfriend with the dull stare of a wax statue and the same willpower of a bar of soap"

Of course, the last part was referring to Nemu, who had bowed her head and blushed at this, but THAT was a thing that her father (and creator AND Captain), Mayuri Kurotsuchi, did not approve as it could be easily understood from his grave expression. He had never liked Urahara during his period of captaincy (actually he just waited for him to do a false step so he could inherit the Shinigami Research Institute), but this to him was the last straw.

"Kisuke Urahara – Mayuri growled to a nonchalant blonde Shinigami, his dark pink reiatsu swelling up till it reached a bloody red color, making all the non-captain level reiatsu shiver - How … did you dare to insult… my masterpiece, my lieutenant… my daughter? **My Nemu is never going to be painter boy's girlfriend! NEVER!**"

This made Isane, Hanataro and Nekoru slap their palm on their own face, as the madman had not focused on the MUCH MORE important insults Urahara had made. Even some of the 12th division wanted to do it, but nobody felt like getting turned into a bomb and getting blown up by Mayuri so they remained silent.

On the other hand, Urahara was completely unfazed by the fit of rage from his former Third Seat and his mere reply was a shrug and resumed speaking: "As you wish, Mayuri"

"Now, let's be serious – Urahara declared switching to his more serious look at the (pun unintended) drop of the hat – You all know why you are here. Ichigo's friend Orihime Inoue has been kidnapped by Aizen's cohorts. As Yamamoto told me to do, I will open the Garganta, which will literally tears open the dimensional fabric separating the worlds, revealing a tunnel of whirling, torrential energy that must be focused and solidified to create a discernible pathway. I suppose that you have already formulated a strategy to find Kurosaki and his allies, at least that's what Mayuri told me, so I guess I am not going to leave you here further…."

" Especially because I don't like how Captain Zaraki is looking at the furniture of my Shop!", he concluded switching back to his buffoon persona and sweatdropping at Kenpachi's laughter as the corpulent man was looking a set of furniture where there was a sign where was written 'FRAIL'. If he didn't hurry a fight would have broken out… and this would NOT be good for his business. So he started making the proper incantation.

_"My right hand is the stone that bridges worlds. My left hand is the blade that binds reality. The black-haired shepherd is hung from a chair. Stratus clouds come, and I strike down the ibis_. GARGANTA", he chanted as he extended his right hand and generated a rip through the worlds from his hand and a blue energy which extended till it was enough to make the whole group enter. Nekoru was, once more, surprised by the former Captain's skills. He acted but a goof, but he WAS a captain. Powerful, smart, always energic, a complete genius, skilled in both swordsmanship, hand to hand combat, Kido, assassination and even got to get with Yoruichi all the time… what was not to envy of him? A bit mortified at realizing such a gap of power, Nekoru looked at his zanpakuto and looked for comfort

_Will we ever become as strong as him and Benihime, in your opinion?_, Nekoru bitterly asked him in his mind.

Let's start with surviving to Hueco Mundo, shall we?, the zanpakuto said in an attempt to comfort him, even though even Scripturae Musa had doubts himself.

_You have a point, _Nekoru stated with with a nod as he saw the Garganta. The first who jumped inside were a widly grinning Kenpachi and a mildly smiling Unohana, soon followed by a stoic Byakuya and lastly by Mayuri, who seemed to be wishing to see more of the Garganta but had to rush, otherwise the Garganta would have fallen to pieces. Soon followed the lieutenants as a second wave lastly followed by the other members, Nekoru included.

As they reached the rift between the dimension, who was a large corridor with walls who resembled the vision Nekoru had when he got high on his own reiatsu and a large floor who was forming itself as the captainswere walking forward.

Now we should look for a captain who could easily protect us? – Scripturae Musa stated to Nekoru – I guess you remember what Urahara told us. I doubt he was kidding.

Nekoru was forced to agree to the spirit of his inner world once more and, as they all were running through the endless corridor then looked at the four captain. The first captain he laid his eyes on was Kenpachi. As he remember Kenpachi WAS the cause of his fear of captain, he opted to pass immediately. Byakuya too was soon discarded, as that man was so cold he would have most likely ignored him for all his stay. Before he could look at the other two captains, the flow of consciousness of the young Shinigami was interrupted by what was clearly Mayuri's voice.

"Ehi, painter boy – the madman yelled at the artist, making him turn – get near Nemu… and I am gonna cut off your hands"

Nekoru blinked and, while he should not have asked, inquired: "But, Captain Mayuri, aren't you already going to cut my hands off?"

Mayuri just replied with a grin: "Ain't poetic justice grand?"

At this reply, it was decided that Nekoru would have gone with Captain Unohana.

* * *

"Master Barragan – Mendocera said bowing down before the former, and to him current and eternal, God King of Hueco Mundo – My humble apologies, my lord, I am bringing bad news for our noble cause. The Novena Espada, Aarionero Arruruerie, is…"

Before he could speak fully, the superior Arrancar interrupting him and replied bluntly: "…dead"

The Fraccion nodded with a sad expression. He was slightly disturbed by such death. Well, there were already demises which had already upset him, the one of most Privaron Espada, executed mercilessly by the Exquias, but now…. Even one of the Espada killed in a fight? This was a massive danger to his magnus opera that was hollowity, one of the Espada… dead. The guilty one had to pay. But there was something which was noticing and only increased his bad mood. Barragan's tone was cold and emotionless, he was not even angry at his companion's death. How in the world?

"Should I go and ensure his death is avenged by taking care of his killer?", Mendocera said with a wide smirk to encourage his master, already tasting the blood on his blade, as soon as he heard his master's approval

"No, Estebanez, no need to avenge a punk of his likes", the elder hollow replied, much to Mendocera's surprise (and veiled horror). He felt for a second panicking at hearing this and could not help but muttering until he finally managed to say aloud what he wanted to say.

"But… Master… a threat of such level … is a threat to all the Espada… and we have to ensure our safe…– the brown haired Arrancar started mumbling only to interrupt and correct himself as he was glared by his king – YOUR safeness and glory for the great Hollow Utopia …"

"Quiet Estabanez", Barragan said again,

"But sir, whoever killed Aarionero…. Might end up attempting to assassinate you, as your Fraccion I cannot allow such…", Mendocera said, but all of sudden Barragan stared at him, giving him through his deathly reiatsu, who could make the Fraccion decay to dust. And indeed that was happening to the borders of his sleeves and part of his skin. The Segunda had snapped and for a second really seemed to be going to kill him… then he started speaking slowly.

"Estebanez, your insolence is starting to bother me. Aarionero was a punk who disgraced all of us with such a pathetic death. Truly the weakest amonst all of us Espada. Remember, Fraccion, your duty is to serve me, no one else. If you defy me a second time… I might not be as indulgent to you - Barragan commanded him imperiously and then stood up before him continuing – You are dismissed"

Mendocera backed away scared by his master and managed to say only a thing before sonidoing away: "At orders. My humble apologies, Master Barragan!"

As Mendocera left he grew more and more upset at this. He was leaning against the wall of one of the endless halls of Las Noches and was building up his slow feeling of uneasiness. Usually Marina would have jumped up and arrived to distract him… but with a war forthcoming, she should have not been there anymore but would be calmly resting in the Menos Forest, with no Shinigami to harass her. At least SHE would have been safe… but this was the least important though to Mendocera Esterbanez, whose mind was groveling over

_Barragan… Master Barragan… why have you forsaken your comrade Aarionero? Don't you care for your companions…. Otherwise… no, it can't be… there is a reason for what he did… he must be… masking his grief… yes, but be like this… he has gotten good in masking his anguish… usually I can read his emotion perfectly… and I just saw annoyance at my proposal… otherwise only apathy… yes, he got very good at hiding his wrath. Of course it might also be he really is apathetic towards… NO, WE ARE HOLLOWS, we are superiors too feeble humans and pathetic Shinigami, we'd … never do this… it's not like we… ever did this…. Sure, there was that time I was with Rotoga and Nnoitra… but it does not count… like all the others… ehehehe… I mean, they are not like… well, buddy_, Mendocera said, abruptly interrupting himself and he thought of Nekoru. Just thinking of him, of his repulsive reiatsu, of his cultured mind who had helped him develop hollowity, of his weakness, of all the pleasant talks they had together…

_Why I, of all the hollows, had to… befriend a human? – _Mendocera said holding his head in rage – _I don't even know how to deal with him. On one side I'd like to impale his heart… on the other to forgive him for all the lies he fed me with. I hate him I hate him I hate…. No, that's the point, I don't hate him. And I detest such… WHY CAN'T I HATE A SHINIGAMI? Oh, I really hope fo find him…. Where is Rotoga? I need someone to unleash my rage on_

The Adjuchas class Arrancar stood up and started sonidoing in rage at this. The more time passed, the more he needed to unleash his frustration. A sudden death like this… could have been… No, it meant nothing. IT HAD TO MEAN NOTHING FOR HIS HOLLOW UTOPIA TO WORK. IT HAD TO MEAN NOTHING

_My hollow utopia has to work. Hollow Harmony…. Hollow Harmony… is with us. I have to make Hollowity triumph… Buddy, are you there? I just wonder… what I will do once I will have my hands around your throat… yes_, the Arrancar thought grinning briefly overwhelmed by his bloodlust for a second, more because he had finally sighted his Hollow Rival, Rotoga. A smirk played on his lips as he saw him.

"Shouldn't you be with the other Privaron Espada, Rotoga?"; Mendocera said with a sadistic smirk. Rotoga snarled and sighed at Mendocera's continuous irreverence

"The other Privaron are dead, Mendocera", Rotoga replied nervously.

"Indeed, you should be with them! - the weaker hollow said with a smirk at this, then his stare become more serious and nervous - I can't believe it that even now, you are just running away, Rotoga… you truly are a coward of the likes I've never seen…"

As he was going to give him his usual speech which Rotoga usually ignored, but he had been standing that shitty hollow for years, but his real fear for his life and all the things which were happening recently… made him snap.

"MENDOCERA! YOU SHITTY HOLLOW! STOP BEING A FUCKING HYPOCRYTE! – Rotoga yelled, surprising his rival as he continued – YOU ARE BORING. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TELLING ME I AM A COWARD? STOP IT, I DON'T CARE AT ALL. OKAY, I AM A COWARD, AND WHAT? AT LEAST I DON'T TRY TO CATCH UP TO AN INSANE THEORY"

"What do you…"; Mendocera said as he was interrupted by the furious Arrancar.

"INSANE, YES, I TOLD YOU! YOU ARE BATSHIT INSANE. YOUR THEORY DOES NOT HOLD UP AT ALL. A PLACE WHERE ALL HOLLOW ARE HAPPY. MENDOCERA, WE ARE CANNIBALISTIC. YOU TOO ARE NOT PURE OF THIS EMOTION. YOU ARE AN ADJUCHAS, AFTER ALL. AND YOU EVEN GAVE HOLLOWS TO FEED YOUR DAUGHTER, AS SHE WAS A FATASS MENOS GRANDES. NICE HOLLOWS DON'T EXIST, NOBODY BELIEVES YOUR THEORY….", The Privaron Espada yelled, his eyes budging out, his veins popping out of his body

"But, there are the likes of Nelliel and Harribel….", the weaker arrancar weakly justified himself, only to be immediately rebutted by Rotoga

"HARRIBEL? NELLIEL? THEY ARE FUCKING VASTO LORDES, MENDOCERA? THEY HAVE EATEN MILIONS OF HOLLOWS BEFORE THEY COULD LOOK LIKE THEY ARE. NONE OF US IS INNOCENT, AND REALLY, WHY SO DEVOTED TO SUCH A LOST CAUSE? AT LEAST I HAVE A PLAUSIBLE GOAL!", Rotoga snarled with rage. This made Mendocera snap and grit his teeth.

"You value nothing else but your life. How can you call it goal?", the Fraccion hissed.

"You think it's a low goal. Mendocera, can I ask you if you remember how you become an hollow? Do you remember how you felt your mind eroded, the pain of being chained, the void which was slowly formed around. And you remember the worst part… you were not aware of this… you realized this after how much time…. All of sudden, Shinigami tracked you down and called you monster. It was then you realized, right? You were not anymore the human… and because of this they deserved death. They had made you aware of being a monster and worse, all your mind could formulate was compulsive desires, flashes of violence and pain. You craved wanton destruction? A certain person? An object? I don't know nor I care…. The point is…. I don't want to live that again. EVER AGAIN! Death scarred me, really. None of us… or at least I don't… do you blame me? I don't care. At least I am not either stupid or arrogant, like you are…. You know, I have to thank you … I finally told you off... I hope you will shut up after this! Now, sorry, you are distracting me from finding dying Shinigami to kill", the Privaron Espada said as he left to concentrate. Mendocera wanted to call him back, show him how such a shivering coward Rotoga was, make a speech who would have led his foe to suicide…

But he was frozen… he remembered it, sometimes….fragment of a life different… and then that gap…

_I have always thought it was a different person the one I saw… -_ he thought to himself then shook his head and focused again –_ I have to find a place where to register all that is happening in Las Noches… map out the area and keep informed Master Barragan…. I should be able to follow such simple orders._

Saying so he sonidoed once more to the top of one of the towers of the Hollow fortress and started using his Pesquias to map out the area… he was feeling too much of a new reiatsu and he did not like it

_Shinigami…._

* * *

Nekoru finally landed on Hueco Mundo, next to the team formed by Unohana and her lieutenant Isane. Immediately everyone had split up, indeed. Mayuri had his daughter spin her arms like a drill, earning a weirded out expression by Nekoru who was immediately countered by the 12th Captain's death glare and near accuse of staring at his daughter, and dig a tunnel underground. Apparently, he wanted to explore the underground of the Hollow World. From his grin, Nekoru had understood he did have a plan in his mind, as if he was targeting a specific area, the one most convenient to him… but of course, this was just Nekoru being paranoid… right?

Kenpachi and Yachiru, instead, had not stopped for a second after their landing and had rushed away in the horizon of Hueco Mundo, oddly enough in a direction completely different from the high concentration of reiatsu everyone was feeling. Nobody was fast enough neither to reach not to warn them… hopefully, they'd have noticed the mistake on their ways.

Byakuya too had been like this, his face showing his stoic pride, but not without an hint of…. Concern? Yes, it looked like this. Apparently there was something which was worrying him. What? Nekoru could not say, but seemed to be too concentrated to say anything. This way of acting, though very subdued, did not go unnoticed by Unohana, who immediately ordered her 7th seat, Hanataro, to go after him. Whether he was going, it was a place someone with healing skills would be needed: Mayuri knew a certain extent of medicine and Kenpachi was one who could take enough care by himself. But Byakuya looked like he was going to succor somebody, therefore an healer was needed. Sure, he would have not appreciated, but Unohana would have had a talk to him about this later.

This left only the calm team of the 3 left Shinigami. While Isane seemed ready to fight properly, Unohana kept always her usual polite smile, to the point of upsetting the young Shinigami…. Especially when she turned at him and kindly said: "Please, Mei-san. Be careful to attack only in self-defense"

For some reason, though, both Nekoru and the zanpakuto felt chills down their bodies as they head her.

If I were you, and I am a bit, I'd obey such kind request, you know it?, Scripturae said trembling a bit at her, Nekoru answering with a nod

_What do we have as a main form of defense, Musa?_, Nekoru asked him

Well, the best I can offer in terms of defense are the jet of inks…. And solidifying the sword…. And that's it, Scripturae said

_Sigh, I should have been more of a troubled soul with a dark past… I bet I would have a cooler zanpakuto with a dark and melancholic name, something invoking death or blood most likely… and a ton of reiatsu to back it up_, Nekoru said with a sigh, which made his zanpakuto roll his eyes

Focus and do your best with our resources… Still, you impressed a pair of captains with your skills, do you remember what they told us before crushing us… wait, it did not come out right…. Oh well, not my fault if you are weak, the zanpakuto started rambling, causing Nekoru to sweatdrop and looked at him with an upset look. Unohana looked at the bickering of the two for a second with her usual kind smile and somehow made them stop.

They had walked a lot and at the end they saw what looked like a mountain… no, much bigger, it was Las Noches. And it was …. A giant building. No, giant… immense, endless. At a fist glance, it looked to dwarf the whole Sereitei in terms of size. Nekoru was looking with a calm expression, but was actually struggling with himself to maintain his collected composure, though the way he was tightening his grip over his zanpakuto. They had met no hollows, which was strange, considering they were in Hueco Mundo

_Unohana must have been using her reiatsu to drive them away, _Nekoru thought noticing Unohana's reiatsu was leaking a bit. They reached one of the many entranced and as Nekoru was formulating a plan to get into the fortress, predicting he had to use a swift combinations of Kido spells, Unohana placed her hand over the doors through sheer reiatsu induced superhuman strength, which made both Isane's and Nekoru's eyes widen slightly. After a kind gesture of Unohana they got him, remaining amazed by the fact of the first thing they saw up at the ceiling of the fortress.

_A sky? Aizen built a sky? How megalomaniac can you get?_, the young Shinigami wondered, not realizing unlike the captain, the spying properties of the artificial special sky which served as s roof to Las Noches. Ironical though that for a place which means Night, the sky was not a nocturnal one. Was it a way to contrast to Hueco Mundo's endless night?

Then the hall bifurcated in two long areas. Of course Nekoru knew what it meant

"Mei-san – Unohana asked – might you go forward and inspect that hall? I and Isane are going to check the other direction! Call us on our Soul Phone is the situation turns dire. Do not worry about us"

"Hai, Unohana-sama!", he said standing uptight and then bowing down as sign of respect. Soon the team split up once more and they started going through their new path. The two women would have found the almost unconscious bodies of Chad and the Privaron Espada Mosqueda just before the Exequias could get rid of them. Nekoru's path… was to lead into darker places….

Mendocera had felt the enemy reiatsu, and indeed was not surprised at it.

"Shinigami….. no…. buddy", he muttered unsheathing his zanpakuto and following the traces of reiatsu and where they were leading him.

* * *

Marina in the meanwhile was being taken care by Durante and Raul, under orders of her adoptive father 'Meido-chan'… and was proving herself to be absolutely unmanageable. She kept playfully biting them and drooling over their mask, plush she complained about their bony chest, as she was not able to bury well their head in them, being obviously hungry as she had not been eating any hollow for over a whole day. A poor little critter has to eat at least ten Menos Grandes per day, after all…. Or at least, that's what she felt she needed to eat.

Also she had been a bit worried about her daddy. Mendocera had been acting a bit colder these day. He had never done something like refusing to pet her. Even Harribel had petted her. And who could resist the cuteness of Marina Juanitas after all and her purple eyes.

_Even I think I am the cutest being alive,_ she mused with a cat-like smile, before biting again Durante's head. The two Numeros were getting exasperated by her and indeed, were not out of avoiding Mendocera's wrath (who was still known to fight on par against Rotoga by sheer skills), they would have violently killed her.

Marina then felt something… actually, she felt nothing. Usually, around there used to be Dondochokka and Pesche playing Eternal Pursuit with Nell Tu, and she loved playing with them(either as Pursuer or Pursued, she was glad Nell Tu was a self-referred masochist). Also, there was a stronger than usual energy out of the place they had gotten out. She was too curious and wanted to know, she did not care about the Menos Forest if Nell was not there. But those Numeros would have gotten in her way and she did not know how to get them to manipulate them, so she did the first thing she thought. She opened her mouth wide opeon, showing her sharp fangs and especially the slow gathering of pink energy, which was released into a Cero enough strong to make them freak out and toss her away in fear. Landing safely on the ground she stuck her long lizard-like tongue at them and sonido-ed fastly, she had to run and find Meido-chan as soon as possible.

* * *

In the meanwhile, Rotoga had found his targets. Two women, one of them not even carrying her zanpakuto. It would have been too much of an easy prey

_Espada place, I will soon come back to you, _The cloaked Arrancar thought as he gathered enough energy for a Cero and was ready to shot it but immediately one of the women rushed against him, a young looking human female with gray eyes and short silver hair, some of which was braided on one side of her head, and was wearing a standard Shinigami uniform with her lieutenant badge on her left arm. Rotoga smirked and was ready to cross his zanpakuto with hers, when the other Shinigami, a very youthful woman with blue eyes and black hair worn as a large braid in fron with the standard Shinigami captain uniform, looked at him and politely interrupted them

"Greeting sir – Unohana said, receiving a snarl form Rotoga, but continued – I apologize for our intrusion here, but we come only for peaceful intent. We are the medic squadron, only here to heal the wounded one. We are even taking tending the injuries of your companion. Might you please let us go?"

At this Rotoga stopped for a second and indeed seemed to consider the offer, putting his blade down and waiting for the lieutenant Isane to do the same.

_So…. _– the cowardly hollow thought –_ I am facing a team of no-combatants who is of vital importance to our enemies…. Ohhh… so perfect_

"What about no, bitches?", he replied with a sardonical laughter at this with a sonido he raised his blade and successfully slashed Isane's cheek, making her jump back in surprise. At this, all of sudden, the arrancar felt for a second shivers down his spine for a mysterious reason. Unohana, with her calm composure, walked next to her lieuntenant and kindly asked her: "Are you fine, Isane-san?"

As soon as she got a nod as a reply she made another request: "Please, Isane-san, hand me back my zanpakuto. I think I should deal with our sir personally! In the meanwhile, might you look after our patient?"

At this, Isane's eyes slightly widened in fear, understanding what she meant and promptly gave Unohana her blade, a normal looking nodachi, and she slowly walked near Rotoga. The Arrancar was looking at her with a cruel look, but as their stares crossed, Rotoga's eye slightly twitched. How come? She was just a mere woman… how was possible she was …. Spreading fear through his body? No it could not be…. But yet as she walked forward, he was not even moving to fight her back. He had not noticed the density of her reiatsu was so hard the floor she was stepping on was cracking.

"Sir… you have made your choice", she said with her calm stare, now looking more fake and upsetting, as if it was hiding an infinite amount of rage, then pointed afinger at him, aiming at a zone below his neck and then a silent Kido. Rotoga screamed in pain. Indeed, this was the power of Hado 25, Itami. Sending a blast of Kido which spread a deep sensation on pain at his enemy. It was simply psychological warfare, but still it was clear what it meant. Rotoga just looked at her surprised and promply swung his sword at her, which not only was promptly blocked, but a cut on his cloack and chest appeared. Rotoga surprised went for a thrust at her heart, but the blade was deflected once more and he felt her zanpakuto piercing through his stomach. Before he could try to back away, Unohana had twisted her blade and then she kicked him away, knocking off his feet.

Rotoga looked at himself. It was the first time he had been outclassed at this level, but her calmness… pissed him off. She had not for a second changer her expression from a smile, said nothing, just wounded. He had still a last resort technique.

"Melt, Amoeba", he said releasing his zanpakuto and transforming drastically. Her Mask fully reformed into a large and tall helmet covereing everything except her mouth and eyes, which remained human, his teeth sharpened into large fanges and slowly his lower body started melting into a dark pink goo. His sword, instead turned into an upper body armor with two blades over his shoulder.

"Bring it on, bitch", he said with another laugh as he circled her with a rapid speed, launching towards her several droplet of his pink jelly like subastance, which slowly latched to the captain to suck out her reiatsu, then promply drove into a trust with both his blades at her back, a cheap but effective move in theory. To his horror, the attack failed as she leaked out her reiatsu, incinerating the pink goo in an instant and generating without moving nor speaking in an instant she casted Hadō 88, Hiryugekizokushintenraiho, a large and gigantic beam of electrical and spiritual energy resulting in a truly enormous explosion. At first Rotoga was not worried, as they could regenerate, but as soon as she glimpsed an hint of his regenerating skills, she promptly used the same hado again, making the armor crumble to dust and wounding Rotoga through all of his nervous system due to the electrical nature of the kido.

At this, Rotoga looked at her. Now it was really time to panic.

_How in the world…. This Shinigami… is so powerful… her reiatsu…. Looks… even stronger than Aizen's… I must escape_, he thought in terror as he was about to flee, but then felt his head bumping into something invisible. A kido barrier was surrounding them both. The Arrancar, even though released, was caged with what he now considered the embodiment of fear, and … she looked to be holding back, as she had her blades, therefore most of her power sealed

"No escape from me", Unohana muttered as from the barrier the crimson spears of the Hado 91 Senjū Kōten Taihō started spouting and she raised her zanpakuto to strike again.

* * *

Nekoru met an Arrancar in the hallways he was crossing and immediately unsheated his sword and pointed at him. Even when he recognized the reiatsu he was not amused

Him…. Be careful, pal – Scripturae said – You know most of his attacks, but was still stronger than us

_Right, _Nekoru as he looked at the Arrancar before him. Mendocera had his arms crossed thoughtfully, his large pitchfork-shaped zanpakuto tied to his back. His eyes, two black pools circled by his mask, unmoving, his mouth closed, overall a serious expression, but not one who seemed to be looking for violence.

"Buddy….", Mendocera said coldly looking at Nekoru who simply exchanged a nod with him, his grip on the sword tightening.

"I am not here to fight buddy! We have been…. Friends for too much time. We had that bad run in Karakura Town, and I admit I have been a bit too… harsh on you… even though I don't understand why you kept manipulating me into befriending you", the Arrancar continued slightly tilting his head as if he was attempting to center his stare with the Shinigami.

"I did not, Mendocera, I had simply no idea you were an hollow back then… and it's easy to say it as if nothing happened. You did everything out of spite", the young boy reply to the half hollow, who nodded calmly at his comment.

"Yes – he blurted out as he slowly circled his – I admit I exaggerated, and was quite cruel…. But you are a shinigami, your race hunted down mine for centuries… no, millennia… Please follow me. I want this fight between Shinigami and Arrancar to end once for all…. Follow me, I will bring you to the prisioner"

At this Mendocera started walking away and Nekoru quickly caught up with him, making him nod as he felt his reiatsu.

He is not even turning at us to talk… do you think…?

_Yes, I think Mendocera is blind. And he still defeated him… must be good at detecting reiatsu…. Still, I am not sure of him… let's keep an eye on him… or otherwise… it might cost us our lives,_ the Shinigami thought

"You should not be surprised that I have not killed you yet. No…. even the fact I am simply alive… thousands of Shinigami attempted to kill me in my over 500 years of life…. I simply wanted to survive… as if other hollows were not already a problem… I had to protect my little Marina from so many enemies…. "

Nekoru raised a brow at the mention of such a name. Marina? Who she was…. why his was former friend speaking of her as it she was a daughter. Unless….

"Marina is your daughter, right?", the shinigami asked, remembering one of the many long dialogues he and Mendocera used to have.

The Hollow nodded and added: "She is such a sweet hollow! Though she is a bit voracious, she is very kind and understanding"

Nekoru flinched: "Is she a child? You…. Are keeping the soul of a child into an agonizing state like an hollow"

The Adjuchas widened his eyes and he understood what the Shinigami meant and yelled: "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO PURIFY MY CHILD"

"But Mendocera….", Nekoru said

"NO BUTS, purification is a nightmare to hollow… plus, were you to do it… she'd become human. Why should you make her become an inferior race? You know how many people attempted to kill me out of this 'noble' cause… one destroyed my book as well… I should not have gone to that city….. He deserved to die! Nobody touches my books", the Arrancar said clenching his fist in rage.

The Shinigami raised a book: "You value a book over …. somebody's life?"

"Correction: I value a book over a SHINIGAMI's life - Mendocera said with perfect calm – books have been the key of my sanity,… the key of my… hollowity"

"Hollowity", the black haired youth asked puzzled.

"Hollowity, yes, the values of hollows… one day, hollowity will rule over Hueco Mundo… and ìt will be wonderful… a world of… happiness, peace. No need to eat anyone anymore… and I and Marina will settle down to private life… Once this war is over… everything will end. Hollow race will be in peace", the Fraccion said with pride, making his buddy's eyes widen.

"Wait a second… you… are waging war…. Under Aizen's order… for world peace? - Nekoru wondered aloud, receiving a proud nod from Mendocera – But…. Aizen is a shinigami"

"Oh… I thought of such a thing already… don't worry….", Mendocera said, putting on his usual smirk Nekoru had often seen on, flashing his sharp teeth. It was…. upsetting to say the least.

Is he lying or is he crazy?, Scripturae Musa wondered in Nekoru's head

_I have no idea, Musa…. But actually… Mendocera seems to be more misguided than anything else… after all, you know, I too risked to become an hollow… He seems to be… attempting to take an hold of his vestiges of humanity…. I think I can talk him out_, the Shinigami, said, then turned to the hollow

"Mendocera…. From what I understand… really… you are …. Quite a … noble hollow. You care about others and I admit that your goal is… unique. Why don't you join us to bring down Aizen? It would be for a good cause, join the side of good", the former painter said with a smile at him. Mendocera immediately looked at him and hissed venomously, his eyes narrowing to splits.

"What do you mean shinigami? - Mendocera said shaking in rage – That there was a second… that I swayed from the side of good? I have always been good along… that's what you never understood"

At this, Nekoru remained speechless… so, that was Mendocera…. He… did not know what to say anymore. Luckily, it seemed their walk had been close the end of the path, as they had reached a large door and seemed there was quite a reiatsu which, as Nekoru could say form a glance feeling, had no semblance neither of hollow or Arrancar. For a second, Mendocera stopped, as if he was feeling something weird he had been taking track of…

_Where did Rotaga go?… I am not sensing him anymore in Las Noches. And I keep feeling more and more Shinigami reiatsu and less Arrancar… not good, Barragan shall not be pleased_, he thought to himself.

"I'd like you to understand what it means to be an hollow… - the Arrancar continued – and indeed, I will try to explain you a thing… you know we are often judged by you Shinigami….. always as evil… and cruelly executed? I mean…. Do you know how does it feel to be at the mercy of the likes of you?"

Nekoru understood Mendocera's idea, and indeed was about to back away when Mendocera grabbed him by the collar, facing him with his cruel smirk and threw him against the door, making it open. The poor young man had to roll over a pair of time and still had a rough landing against the floor. But there was worse to come, as he could testify from the fact his former friend was bowing down. Now he recognized the reiatsu, to his horror.

"Well, already a Shinigami captured… it is unexpected to see you… Mei-san"; a deep voice said looking down at him.

He trembled in fear as he muttered the name of the man before him: "Aizen…."

* * *

Rotoga was lying down in a pool of his own blood. He was not anymore in the rooms of Las Noches, but the sands of Hueco Mundo, after such a brutal one-sided fight against that monster whose name, Retsu Unohana, would have remembered for the rest of his life. He was in horrible shape and could barely keep his body in a remotely humanoid shape, seeming a large pool of pink colored blood right now. The only thing intact was his head and mask, who were looking more like an hollow-like beast than anything else

_Damn you woman… you really were a bastard beast, throwing me away so many miles from Las Noches with that shitty move…. Was it Kido? I don't remember anymore…. But … you underestimated me… my body can regenerate even now… slowly… but it will … once I will be fully operative.. I am gonna get you.. you bastard… not even that shitty hollow has pissed me off. This hartred. Why so many people are against me…. Just because I am more pragmatic than them? But I …._

"Can I eat you?", A voice interrupted him. Not far from him, there was the little redheaded child-like Arrancar known as Marina Juanitas… but was not looking so much cute. Her mouth was open, revealing a series of shark like teeth and a long lizard-like tongue. She had been running for several hours since her escape from the Menos forest… and now she was really hungry, poor her. And Las Noches was still far that she could barely see it.

When she had looked at the weird mask lying on a puddle of goo, she remembered again the words of her father: '_Do not eat anything standing on two legs and possessing less than two limbs who has a mix of shinigami and hollow energy'_

_It has less than two limbs and is not standing on two legs… and he looks even to be dying – _Marina thought with an innocent smile and childishly licking her lips – _YAY! YUMMY SNACK! :3_

Rotoga recognized Marina and his eyes, which were barely closed, widened in fear as his minds recalled when Mendocera had told him 'As Marina already ate part of your mask, well, she should eat the rest as well'.

He attempted to yell at her, but was too late. The last thing he saw was the small girl jumping, her fangs lunging at him.

BE CONTINUED…


	11. Sinister Six

_Black trails shall flow. Can we survive and make something good out of them?_

_-Scripturae Musa_

**Chapter 11: Sinister Six**

* * *

"So…. Mei-san, do you want some other tea?", the leader of the Arrancar, Sosuke Aizen, asked his new hostage, the young Shinigami Nekoru Mei. The situation was not one of force, Nekoru was forced to become an hostage. He did not even need an order or being told so. Even if he could have defeated Mendocera now (something he was already doubtful of) he would have not even hoped to fight Aizen and live. So he had to play along with him. Mendocera, on the other hand, was less than amused about this. He hoped for Aizen to be more… straightforward with this thing, instead. A thrust of a zanpakuto in the heart, to be accurate. The best solution was the easiest. He was even dismissed away by the Shinigami. It had made him raise quite a brow.

"… - Nekoru tentatively replied – uhh… yes, Aizen, thank you…. Is that …. A new haircut?"

Aizen faced him with a smirk before nodding with a smirk and resuming speaking: "You know, I had been waiting for a lot of people to save Inoue Orihime… but even you. I guess the Gotei is really desperate if they have sent _you_ here…"

"Well, I am not alone, Aizen. Most of the other people who came with me are seated members, with four captains and three lieutenants after you. Your Arrancar will have a tough time", he said, only to realize that he had accidentally been tricked to spill the beans over the other Shinigami who had gone to Hueco Mundo with him, his widened eyes meeting the former captain's narrowed ones as he poured the tea.

"Interesting… four captains… just the right number…. There are only other six, then… three of them will suffice then, as I had expected", Aizen mumbled interested, only to catch Nekoru's attention.

"What do you mean, Aizen?", he asked, attempting to get some information about his plans from him, but the older Shinigami was not fooled not even for a second, instead countering by switching topic at the spot

"It's the third time in a row you called me Aizen , Mei-san. Aren't you the one who always called me Captain Sosuke Aizen-sama?", he asked him with a piercing stare which made Nekoru shiver.

"Well…. Uh… - Nekoru said mumbling slowly, but gathering every strength to speak back to the Shinigami, gripping his Zanpakuto tightly – I…. don't think you are worth such title Aizen… you… betrayed Soul Society as a whole out of lust for power, from what I could gather. You built even an artificial sky. You… are nothing but a power-hungry traitor!"

Yeah, show him what you are made of. Don't be afraid!, his zanpakuto encouraged him in his mind. Mendocera, now far away, looked at Aizen's enormous reiatsu and saw it starting building up and put himself into a stance of defence. Before the young Shinigami could do nothing the former captain let out a wave of reiatsu which made Nekoru fly off the chair and sent him, along with the cup of tea, on the floor.

_He showed us back, damn it, _Nekoru thought rubbing his lightly burnt face due to the boiling water

"You should be more careful when standing on a chair, Mei-san – Aizen mocked him by making it seem it was Nekoru's fault, his face framed somehow by shadows – I still consider myself to be more of a visionary. But I don't expect from one who lacks ambitions like you to understand. I once gave you a choice to be a strong Shinigami… and somehow you wasted it. You failed everyone, me included. In other words, you, little one, bound by thousands of limit, should not even dare to speak back to me"

_Had you at least achieved Shikai, you could have been of further usefulness being another pawn for my treason of Soul Society,_ Aizen thought looking at the weaker Shinigami with scorn. That being… so weak… it was essentially everything he hated. Impotence. When people limited themselves…they were pathetic in Aizen's eyes.

The younger Shinigami attempted to stand up, but found himself bound to the ground. In horror he realized it was still Aizen's doing: he was using his reiatsu to keep him down on his knees. The air itself felt heavy, and the young man was having difficulties to breathe. It was…. unbelievable. Just how much strong that former captain was?

"You see, Mei-san, I am a man with broad horizon. I hate thinking of all bounds who can suppress the full freedom of expression of a man. Emotions, morality, hierarchy… the King… - Aizen said walking up near a pillar, picking up something, oddly taking a small pause when he said the latter part - … so I decided to …. Break every single boundary which could be limiting me. Even though I was a captain… I still had to obey, and I was as bound as everyone to the rules of the Gotei 13. So I in the end got something which could do what I wanted. Dissolve every limit in the boundary of reality… this is the … Hogyoku"

At this Aizen made a thing roll down. Nekoru looked at the small luminescent sphere… mostly confused then amazed and raised a brow.

_Just what the hell is this? –_ Nekoru wondered inwardly – _It's … a lot of energy. I can't even call it reiroku… it's even more than Aizen… how in the world _

As he attempted to grab it, but to no avail, due to the spiritual pressure crushing him he asked in realizations: "What is this made of? Souls?"

Aizen looked at Nekoru for a second and smirked at this then turning back again he replied: "Nope. Not at all Mei-san. I did think of it. It was then I changed project, though. You should ask Urahara about this. He could answer you …. for I plan not to"

Nekoru then had an idea: as Aizen was turning his back on him, he whispered his shikai command, turning his sword into Ink sucking the Hogyoku inside it. He then then released a substitute making it glow with his silvery spiritual power to disguise it. He let an heavy pant at doing this, promptly sealing the zanpakuto as Aizen turned back and picked up the fake orb.

"To be fair, you almost outlived your usefulness… although you could be used as another prisoner. I will call soon some Arrancar to take you in. Are you sure you don't want some other delicious tea?", the megalomaniacal Shinigami asked with his usual affable tone, which was met by Nekoru shaking his head, clinging to how little of his willpower was left. Aizen, pretending to ignore Nekoru's fatigue, stopped using his reiatsu and nodded, then offhandedly he asked something which nearly froze the younger Shinigami.

"Then can you give me back the real Hogyoku, please?", Aizen asked examinating the fake. It was well done, but Aizen had spotted the switch at the first glimps. He had simply wanted to lull Nekoru into a fake sense of security.

Nekoru, lightly twitching his eye, attempted to hide the horror at being sussed and answered: "Ex… excuse me? I have no idea what are you talking about!"

Aizen shook his head. Had he been at least a bad liar. But that younger Shinigami did not even speak convincingly. At least he had been a quick thinker.

"You know Mei-san… you are… quite bad-mannered. I act gentlemanly, you should do the same out of respect, at least, as you are my guest…", Aizen said with a menacing look, his face looking framed by shadows, a sadistic smile on his face, the fake orb cracking into dust just at his reiatsu.

"I guess I will have to teach you good manners, Mei-san", Aizen said, his hands at the hilt of his sword. Nekoru was scared by the mad shinigami but was noticing something weird. If the former captain could freeze him to the ground… why was he not do…

Then a scream from his zanpakuto: MAN! DUCK TO THE SIDE

Nekoru was surprised but obeyed instinctively rolling on the left… just as he felt something which was going to cut his right side. It was not deep but still was lightly bleeding. Behind him there was another Shinigami as he noticed turning for a second.

_Ichimaru… I could not felt his reiatsu due to Aizen's distracting me_, Nekoru thought as he held his wound, recognizing the other captain which was mockingly waving at him from around a dozen of feet from him, his sword retreating to a normal size

"Good reflexes Mei-san. And nice to see you not clouded anymore with that Kido, Gin", Aizen said with a smirk looking at both of the other Shinigami.

"How long have ya known I was here, Cap'n Aizen?", Gin asked still with his unnerving grin and closed eyes, his head turned at Nekoru though, who was still looking with his zanpakuto drawn, too nervous to notice the tension between the two allies.

"Since you were born – Aizen replied with nonchalance before switching topic – Gin, I was about to look for you. I need a favor, please. You see this Shinigami? He had been acting rather rude despite my politeness. Might you help me teaching him good manners?"

Somehow, maybe his vision distorted by the sheer horror caused by the proposal, Nekoru saw Gin's smile becoming even wider and heard him replying: "

"My my...as former Cap'n of the Third Divison it is up to me ta be sure Shingami know their ediquette. I s'pose I shall help, Cap'n Aizen"

_Oh no, not another captain tag team_, Nekoru complained exasperated as Gin again swung his sword. Thanks to his shunpo he avoided to be cut in half, but his arm got another bleeding cut, and jumped up landing on the table, clenching his fist to suppress the pain of his wounds. Nekoru then raised his sword and again decided to release his Shikai. After all, he simply had no other chance to win. The two formers captains simply looked amused at him being able to release his swords, but they were not impressed at his rise of reiatsu. Nekoru aimed at Aizen, just as the megalomaniac seemed about to cast a kido. From this, Nekoru got the idea to mirror him, so he used a low level Kido to spin his sword like a drill, and created the biggest dart he had ever made, around half the size of his whole sword, and quickly shot it with the all of his power. The projectile sped against Aizen, aiming at his heart, but a few inches before it could even touch the former captain, it faded to dust, much to Nekoru's shock and terror.

I swear it was not my fault, the zanpakuto said as surprised as his wielder, who then turned at the smirking Aizen whose hand was glowing with a deep blue reiatsu.

"I have to admit I did not expect you to have Shikai, Mei-san – Aizen said – and one as simple and versatile as ink manipulation, to boot. Your sword turns your spiritual power into a semisolid substance which allows you to manipulate. Due to your low reserves spiritual power, you have also a reasonable speed in manipulating the ink, allowing you to compact it in varying solid states… quite handy… but there is a weak point. Your raw is low… and you waste too much of it for moves which would be more effective without your excesses"

_Did he understand EVERYTHING about my shikai just from a single attack?,_ the Shinigami though

Yep, it's kinda creepy, man.

Sadly, their inner conversation was stopped by the following words: "Hado 58, Tenran"

Nekoru, already stunned at Aizen's immediate understanding of his shikai, got flown around by the widening tornado caused by the Kido and saw Gin, completely unfazed and still attempting to slice the younger Shinigami apart. Even worse was that he was clearly holding back, out of a sadistic glee of sort, no doubt... and yet, even despite Nekoru's best efforts to dodge, he still managed to give the young shinigami cuts all over his body, remaining surprised thought not to be able to scratch the armored glove Nekoru had on his left arm. At this Nekoru was even forced to create a huge splash of ink to partially cover the visual of both of them, covering the floor with ink. As soon as he was going to land, Aizen charged with a Kido the area Nekoru was going to land onto.

Okay, I have an idea, man. Just get your sword half solid, the spirit said. Nekoru understood and shaped the blade into a spring to bounce away from the area using a kick to go through the wall and escape the two former captains, though he got one more cut to the shoulder from Gin's sneak attack, landing on a large room with several windows, most of them facing the endless desert of Hueco Mundo. Aizen with a single swing of his sword created a large shockwave which cut in half most of the floor, only to stop just before Nekoru. The surprise bought Gin's enough time to sneak behind Nekoru and stab him on the side, pinning him to the wall. He was going to cut him in half, but a stare of Aizen made him stop, though he did not spare a devious smile of his neither to his opponent nor to his ally.

"That was …. Fun, Cap'n Aizen", Ichimaru said sealing his sword and placing it back in his sheat, looking at the half battered opponent… well, more chew toy than anything else to him, but still. Aizen looked at Nekoru amused and walked up to him, his zanpakuto pointed at him.

"Now Mei-san… might you hand me , with the little energy you have left, the Hogyoku back?", the former captain asked with a smirk. It was not like Nekoru had any option though. He was so weakened that the older Shinigami had not even bothered to keep him down with his reiatsu. And to think they both were holding back. Nekoru weakly looked up at him. He faced his zanpakuto for a second, making Aizen realize where ithe orb was hidden, then he pointed it at the leader of Hueco Mundo quickly shotting another jet of ink.

"Such a weak technique aga…", Aizen said while he was about to black with a single swing of his hand the wak blow from Nekoru and Gin had decided to give Nekoru a deep wound for his trouble... but before he could act, the jet of ink got somehow through Aizen's hand, piercing it, and then getting him right in the chest, which started bleeding profusel. The former captain did not scream in pain out of pride , but still had to back away several times from the unexpectedly successful damage. Even Gin was for a second dumbfounded. How could one like Nekoru manage to wound Aizen of all people?

_We wounded him. GREAT!, _, The Shinigami thought in surprise as he saw Aizen using the wall to support himself.

No, it's more like CRAP! We wounded him. He's gonna get pissed once he shrugs off the pain, the zanpakuto rightfully observed as the former captain recovered. At this, Nekoru did the only thing he could do: exploit the moment of carelessness of the his enemies and jumping out of one of the several windows in the room, just in time to avoid a Sokatsui from Aizen, which would have incinerated him had it properly landed. Sure, now he was on a free fall… but at least he was safe.

* * *

"That bastard", Aizen hissed with his eyes narrowed, looking at his own wound, especially his pierced hand, finally having won the unexpected pain. Gin was looking at him still slightly surprised at what had happened, but promptly igured it out immediately as soon as he looked better at Aizen's chest.

_He correctly guessed the Hogyoku's nature was superior to any reiatsu… even mine. So he disguised it as a ink jet and shot it at me at point blank. I was careless… Still, a minor setback…. And soon going to fix itself_, Aizen thought coldly.

Gin was at first going after the young Shinigami, but Aizen stopped him with a single gesture on his hand.

"No need to deal with him, Gin… I actually think… his action benefitted me much more than he would have liked to wish", Aizen mused looking at the cross shaped wound of his, with the Hogyoku at the center. He could clearly feel it. It was communicating with him… their minds attempting to understand each other as the veins slowly turned blue and luminescent at the merging of the Shinigami with the legendary artifact.

"I will have to fix this wound to allow a better merging though… SO let's go, Gin. We have more important businesses to attend", Aizen said dismissing the pain.

"'n' we are goin to let that youngling live?", Gin asked, to which Aizen smirked his face engraved by shadows.

"We are. The Exquias I am going to send him might not!", the older Shinigami replied with a light hint of bloodlust.

Gin nodded but, as soon as Aizen had turned, he had lightly opened his eyes. He was very amused at the wound.

_Your ambitions are growin… and with this your carelessness, Cap'n Aizen –_ the silver haired Shinigami thought _- That weak Shinigami managed to wound ya, even though at an high price. But still... he did it. Yer becoming vulnerable… and if ya can be wounded… ya can be killed._

* * *

I still can't believe it YOU wounded AIZEN, the Zanpakuto told Nekoru, still in its shikai state, shaped like an hand to help Nekoru climb up the walls of Las Noches.

_Well, he asked us for that orb, I gave him that orb– _Nekoru thought panting a bit while climbing up Las Noches, close to the border of the roof of the hollow fortress– _Still, I hoped it would have just killed him instead of just wounding him._

We still spent over half of our power for an attack it failed even to land on his opponent, the sentient blade complained, to which Nekoru was about to reply, but at moment moment he blacked out and hadn't been for his zanpakuto tightening the grip on the wall he'd have fallen down.

_Damn it – _the young man thought gritting his teeth -_ Had Ichimaru not wounded me so much… I'd not be in such a fatigue… But still I need to get out of their reiatsu or I am not going to survive… Need... some help_

As he was about to reach the roof, and hand grabbed his wrist and helped the young man up, saying with a kind tone: "Here!"

Nekoru was about to thank his helped, but stopped as soon as he recognized the face with the smile he had learnt to fear after just a single day. His stare hardened and attempted to look as composed as possible despite the several wounds he had recieved.

"How did you find me?"; Nekoru asked attempting to struggle out of the grip, which the Arrancar tightened.

"Buddy… I had never lost track of you. I wanted to see how your fight against Aizen was going… - Mendocera replied with his grin - I am slightly disappointed. I knew you were weak… but I kinda hoped you would have killed him… or at least, taken him down with you"

"What the…. Mendocera, why did you…?"; Nekoru muttered confused.

_He trusted me into killing him?_, Nekoru wondered in his head, much to his and his zanpakuto's puzzlement.

"I don't know", the Arrancar coldly cut him off. It was the truth. He was not very sure himself of why he had placed on that Shinigami such trust. He had thought of it since he had talked with that girl who kept muttering 'Kurosaki-san'… that woman held so much trust in that person…

_Did I want to do the same? Trust somebody to do the impossible? Why? How could I think he could have defeated Aizen_, Mendocera wondered seriously worrying about this, and in response squeezing further the grip of his friend or enemy. As Nekoru lightly hissed in pain, Mendocera smirked.

"It's useless buddy, your energy is barely half of your full extent and I know for sure you can't break my Hierro not even with your full strength", Mendocera said with an hint of coldness, only to be cut off by Nekoru's armored glove smashing against his face. Not only he had not seen it coming in his arrogance, but it had even wounded him, making him cough up some blood and lightly breaking the bones of his face. He did not care about the damage as it could have been regenerated soon, but the fact a Shinigami had done this... Before he could react, he felt slipping due to strange pool who he was sure it was the Shinigami's doing.

Nekoru's face though was more determined, a bit because he had been a bit frustrated during the duel with Aizen and Gin, and secondly because Mendocera had that punch coming for all the things he had done.

"I just – Mendocera said furiously – don't understand. Why are you so … SHINIGAMI-like? You just think about fighting me…"

"You were the one who manipulated me into fighting Aizen so that we could kill each other", Nekoru said upset as he stopod up and turned at Mendocera, his eye roaming around enchated by the sky of Hueco Mundo. For a second, the Shinigami was distracted by the sight and smiled, accidentally switching topic.

"You know, buddy – Nekoru stated – Hueco Mundo ... from some points of view…. Is not bad at all. It would be worth getting painted. Do you think the same?"

Mendocera's stare hardened as the Shinigami said that, and even though he appreciated the compliment to the land who was to him undoubtedly superior to Soul Society, replied sternly and bluntly: "I am blind, buddy"

"But the worst part is that you achieved nothing – the Fraccion continued with his cold tone – You are alive and Aizen is alive. DO you think he is gonna let you go after the fight? He is gonna be sure you won't leave Las Noches alive… and I can't stand it"

Nekoru blinked at the weirdly places last sentence, and confused decided to ask: "You mean… you care about me?"

Mendocera nodded and replied: "Not as much as Marina… but I consider you a valuable person… useful for my projects… weirdly enough… there is only a thing … which makes me feel horrible"

"What?", Nekoru said confused and worried for his friend. He was pretty curious to know about this for a simple reason. Mendocera was an hollowm which meant he had somehow lost his heart. And yet, Nekoru had successfully befriended him. There was no doubt: Mendocera still craved his humanity back… and Nekoru wantedto help him... least he could do to thank him for over three decades of friendshi. Before he could react, Mendocera, having felt a familiar sensation, had his arms around his neck strangling him.

"YOU ARE A SHINIGAMI – Mendocera said with an hint of glee in making him suffer – When I feel your reiatsu… it makes me throw up in my mouth. Shinigami… are by far the most disgusting thing on the planet, your their holier than thou attitude and pathetic excuse to hunt down hollows, the perfect race. Don't you understand? You are made to die… Your corpses are going to be the basement of my hollow utopia. ALL OF YOU… and this is good…. I'd like you to … die once for all. You have been sitting idly in your reign for too long… but as we Hollows rise… you will fall! So either you die… or run for life and prepare yourself for your imminent fall"

At this Mendocera slightly weakened his hold over Nekoru's throat, although the Shinigami had gotten what Mendocera meant…. Just in time to be thrown out of the roof of Las Noches with a slash from Mencoera's zanpakuto large on his chest. Nekoru let out an half suffocated scream as he just feel down and away from Las Noches until he was not visible anymore.

_Luckily he was weakened… and despite this he left me such a nasty injury… he'd have been a nastier fight had we fought head on on instead of tricking him to go against Aizen… stupid Shinigami, growing stronger only after a few hours of being unchecked_, Mendocera thought looking down as if he was aimed at a specific area. He then turned at the other Arrancar who had just reached him

"Well done Fraccion Mendocera – Rubodon, leader of Exquias said – you have been swift in your kill… just as expected from the likes of you"

Mendocera smirked at the leader of the Exquias and with a bow he answered: "As soon as I felt his reiatsu here, I tracked him down and killed him. I was disgusted that he was a Shinigami in Las Noches. Every single Shinigami existing should deserve to be crushed under the heels of the Espada"

Rubodon nodded and said: "You are serving well lord Aizen, Mendocera. I am deeply impressed of your dedication to his cause"

Mendocera just smirked wider at the leader of the Exquias as they were parting ways, in his head thinking: _Have you not heard me carefully, Rubodon? I said EVERY SINGLE Shinigami EXISTING_

The Fraccion just calmly walked normally finally turning his attention back to the fight of the Espada against the other Shinigami.

_The Octava, the Septima and the Cuinta are fighting…. With the exception of the Sexta Espada… I am not tracking him everywhere… weird… same for Rotoga… but there are too many Shinigami here and I am fearing more are to come… should I go to take Marina back to the forest of Menos?_, Mendocera thought again looking at the direction of the deserts of Hueco Mundo, shaking his head.

_I might have rushed a bit due to Rubodon's coming… and yet ... I. can't believe it that, despite every single word I told you was truth, that…. I let you live again, buddy_

* * *

_Bakudō # 37. Tsuriboshi_

Those were the last words of Nekoru before fading to unconsciousness. The Kido had drained him of every spiritual power necessary to remain conscious, but at least had made him survive. Mendocera had saved him somehow and for some reason by telling him to prepare. I mean, come on, 'prepare yourself from the imminent fall'. He had given out too much generously not to be on purpose. Nekoru was still not sure whether he really was on his side though

Sure, his acting was A BIT too convincing, but he had felt the reiatsu of the other Arrancar before Mendocera attacked him. At least it meant Mendocera had really attempted to save his life and Nekoru had survived.

Slowly all sense were coming back. He had been feeling some bandages around the wounds Gin had given him. Then he heard some voices muttering about the fact he was looking fine and finally he opened his eyes. Two silhouettes were waving at him, and he managed to weakly wave back at them. He finally had managed to get a clear sight of them. And was wishing not to have had it. They were hollows… no, their spirit pressure was similar to Arrancar.

The first was a humanoid Arrancar whose head is almost completely covered by his mask, which resembled an insect-like head with large mandibles and horns whose large left eye, yellow in color, is visible through an eyehole on the front of his mask. The other had a large, heavyset body with short appendages and small hands and feet, whose Hollow mask was whole, covering his entire head resembling a typical tiki mask.

At first he tightened the grip on his sword, but the smaller Arrancar just replied to him kindly: "Hello"

"Uh… ah… uh… Hello?", Nekoru said confused rubbing his head, his zanpakuto sealed to spare his energies. He was feeling refreshed to say the least, his spiritual power slowly growing back. One of the few advantages of having low reserves.

"Was it…. You to bandage me up?", Nekoru asked, to which the larger Arrancar nodded.

"Yep, it was us, you were bleeding everywhere. Luckily we had a …. Uh… 'special elixir' to improve your wounds, don't cha know?", was his reply

"Everything for a fellow Arrancar", the other said with a thumb up, making Nekoru sweatdrop.

_They mistook me… for an Arrancar?, _Nekoru thought in wonder so that his zanpakuto could hear.

Explains why they patched you up, man. At least they are nice, if not too bright, which seems good to us, for now, the sword replied, making the Shinigami nod as he thought of a reply.

"Oh… yeah sure… I am an Arrancar. YEAH, ALL HAIL AIZEN-SAMA, DEATH TO THE SHINIGAMI AND… All the other stuff!", he said histrionically, proving he would not have a career as an actor.

"Wow? Now there is other stuff? Sure Las Noches changed" both Arrancar said wide eyed, they then extended their hand and told him their name

"Nice to meet do, Dondochakka and Pesche, I am called Nekoru", the Shinigami said shaking their hands

"So, Nekoru, how did you get here instead of Las Noches… and all bloodied up to boot?", Pesche asked him scratching his head confused

"Ooo, would you believe it? One of my cohorts threw me out of a tower!", Nekoru blurted out with a nervous chuckle, realized he had maybe talked to much.

"Really? – Dondochakka asked him raising a brow – Cool, we too got thrown out of all Noches, don't cha know? TWICE. The second was a psycho, though… and so we wander again in the desert with that…."

"Ehi, Dondochokka, do you think he can help us with this problem, then? We have already sent help but….", the shorter Arrancar asked his companion to which Nekoru raised a brow.

I smell battle, the zanpakuto stated worried, giving an hint to release again his sword, which he obliged, making it so his new allies would have not noticed it. It was a luck that Urahara had convinced Nekoru and him to team up, otherwise they would have never survived five minutes there. Still, the fact he was using it up so much underlined how desperate he simply was in these situations.

Before the duo was able to speak, Nekoru was able to feel another reiatsu. It was bigger than the both of them, no doubt, and of course superior to his own, but had gotten used to fight stronger opponents. Then finally an azure blur rushed towards him, full of bloodlust and rage, and attacked him

Indeed it was once more an Arrancar, and as Nekoru was able to feel as he punched the anti Hierro armored glove, much stronger than he could think, as the fact he was still flung across a large dune of the desert made him realize. His unknown opponent had quickly caught up to the young Shinigami, nearly forgetting the two preys he had been hunting down for now (he had still labeled them as 'snacks for later'), especially because unlike them he was a Shinigami, therefore an opponent more similar to his intended final target.

A kick met again Nekoru's armor, though it seemed to be starting to feel strained at the attacks. Nekoru then attempted to slash the chest, where he could see an already rather large scar, but he was blocked by the Hierro of his enemy.

_That's more resistant than Mendocera's. Much MORE resistant,_ Nekoru thought upset as he managed to jump away and got some more distance. A punch in the gut arrived and he was slammed against the sands of Hueco Mundo. Nekoru was shocked at the punch, even though he had used the reiatsu to soften the blow. It was by far one of the strongest. No doubt, this time his opponent was NOT holding back.

I don't get it. That punch… the only thing stronger were Yoruichi's punches when she broke the anti Hierro armor. This guy should be captain level… but … why is his reiatsu so low? Sure, way superior to ours but still…, the Zanpakuto observed to which Nekoru nodded. He then looked at his clothing…. Blood. A lot of it. Not from any of his wound. Whoever that enemy was, he was seriously injured… and still completely outclassed him.

"Yer not Ichigo – the Arrancar finally said, stopping attacking to take a breath, much to the relief of a panting Nekoru – but yer not friggin' bad. I'mma have fun kicking your ass with my claws"

Nekoru's eyes widened at hearing Kurosaki's name. This guy had fought Ichigo? No wonder he felt so impotent against him. Had he been at full power, he'd have hacked the young Shinigami to pieces.

"Who are you?", Nekoru said to keep regaining some energies, his zanpakuto ready to swing. His foe's appearance was something feline and predatory, with jagged and sharp teeth, black claws as hands and feet, similar to that of a cat, along with a slender whip-like tail. He had long and flowing azure colored hair, and two markings around his eyes extending to the tips of his cat-like ears with a sort of a headgear on his forehead, which topped the form-fitting white segmented armor, with a large hollow hole on his stomach.

The Arrancar smirked at this and pointing at him his claws in a fighting stance, his expression distorted into a bloodthirsty grin said: "Remembah this name, fella, cuz it will be yer last. I'm Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Sexta Espada"

* * *

Marina licked up every single drop of the pink foo before finishing swallowing up the last bone of the half dead creature she had found. She was rather pleased that her stomach had been satisfied. Her last meal, unknowingly to her actually Rotoga's released form, had been her greatest meal of her life. It was worth a whole army of Menos Grandes and she had left nothing of it, except lot of stains of blood around her mouth and dress. And all of that reiatsu… was making her go ditzy. She was a bit losing her focus and felt too heavy. So much that she completely powerless when a gigantic hollowed showed up and brought her up its mask. Marina rubbed her head confused and she was patted in her head by a friend. She made a wide smile.

"NEL-CHAN!", she said happily as she recognized her friend. But somehow she was changed. Not physically, but her expression was somehow more mature and adult. It reminded her of Harribel for some reason she could not phantom

"Mawina – Nel said still with her lisp, but a more calm less childish tone – Sowwy to have taken you all of sudden, but I need your help. Have you seen Dondochakka and Pesche? I have been looking for them everywhere…. They have been thrown away by Las Noches and now I can't find them anymore"

Marina tilted her head a bit confused as much as she could due to the high reserves of reiroku ingested and finally managed to weakly shake her head and reply: "Nu"

Nel shook her head upset, but she had another plan, having expected it would have failed and then again inquired the small child.

"Mawina, wanna help me enhance my Pesquisa by handing me more reiti?", the greenhaired child asked, to which the small redhead nodded with a wide smile and placed her arms on Nel's mask and started making all the reiroku overflow… especially the excessive one taken by eating Rotoga. Nel at first just felt a power flow surge… but then it was too much for her. Nel cried in surprise at this as her mask glowed and was enveloped by a column of light, much to Marina's surprise and Bawabawa's delight, who knew what it meant.

As the smoke faded away, the two hollows saw the new form of Nel, formerly known as Nelliel TuOdelschwanck, Tercera Espada, a full figured woman with long waving hair, but otherwise similar features. At first a bit surprised, she remained composed at her return to her normal form and let out a large sigh. She then turned at Bawabawa and then with a wide smile, she gave the huge tapeworm like hollow a BIG hug, nearly suffocating him, as it could be seen by its waving his tail at first fastly and then nearly losing every strength to struggle free from his mistress' hug.

"I missed you to be in this form… - she said releasing the giant hollow from the hug, only to notice something – where is Marina?"

As she looked down, she found Marina with her arms wrapped around the former Tercera and the head buried in her chest.

"I had promised you back in the Bubble forest, you remember it?", the small child like Arrancar said with a cat-like smile which made the former Espada caress and pat the little red head, even though she had no idea what the smaller Arrancar meant. After the sweet moment, Nelliel turned far in the desert. Her power of Pequisa, due to her transformation, had increased drastically. He felt them.

"Marina, we have to go! Dondochokka and Pesche are in danger… Are you going to help me?", she asked, making the child look up from her comfy zone

Marina thought for a bit. She was actually going to find her Meido-chan… but hadn't he always told her that hollow should help each other?

"LET'S GO! YAY!"; She said waving her arm excitedly.

* * *

"YA FRIGGIN SUNUVABITCH! Get back here"; the bloodthirsty Sexta Espada yelled in rage at his opponent. He had been wrong with his assumption he was similar no Ichigo, he was nowhere as skilled as him: after all, Ichigo was one who fought right on with attacks intended to crush the enemy, along with all of that 'I have to protect everyone' rant which gave him so much willpower; Nekoru, on the other hand, was one who was doing his best to get away from his range and whose attacks barely tickled. And while he was bombarding him with Bala, the weaker opponent knew enough Kido to dodge and block them, though none of his barrier went unscratched. Finally he managed to get an hold of him strangling him with his claws and scratching his throat while doing this. What he found was first a face full of ink… literally, then he was hit by a strange slick which made him slip, most likely coming from the hidden Fracciones who were supporting the weakling, and then Nekoru fully hit him in the chest with Shakkaho, a red sphere of energy made of kido.

It barely scratched the Espada, even despite his injured state, as he showed when he growled manageing to kick Nekoru, scratching his leg: "YA FRIGGING BASTARD!"

Indeed, the blow did enrage him thatm even though the Shinigami missed, was enough to create a punch so powerful to create a huge shockwave which sent Nekoru far away, then caught up to him and kicked the flying Shinigami, who still managed to par the blow with the anti Hierro weapon. Shortly after, the Espada found ropeds around his wrist and neck, with Nekoru holding them in a weak attempt to strangle and subdue him. He was violently whipped by Grimmjow's tail for his troubles, making his back bleed, then thrown violently across the dunes by Grimmjow's sonic roars, immediately followed by five darts of his move Garra de la Pantera, but Dondochakka helped the now helpless Nekoru by swinging the darts away with his zanpakuto, a gigantic mace.

"Sorry man, we did not want you to overwork so much against such an opponent. We thought you'd be stronger, don't cha know?", he said turning to the young Shinigami, surprised by the strength of his ally, who was soon taken under the sand by Pesche to better hide against the raging Espada, just as his companion was hit by Grimmjow's Bala.

"Don't worry, though, you did your best… and failed…. But you DID try… and failed", the smaller Arrancar said in a failed attempt to reassure Nekoru.

You are an idiot allied with a bunch of idiot against a bigger and badder idiot, the zanpakuto said in a fit of rage for the fact the fight was still so much onesided.

_And you?_, Nekoru thought to his zanpakuto in a defiant stare

I am the biggest idiot, because I have not found a way to escape yet

_Damn right you are_, Nekoru stated only to turn at Pesche and ask him: "So what is this underground system"

"Oh – the Fraccion said – must be a bunch of hollow. You too did it once, I suppose. I guess they have been scared off by Grimmjow though… I suppose so at least…"

"So … this tunnels spread though all of our current battlefield, right?", Nekoru said with a smirk, formulating a plan. At first he created a pair of ink bubbles and then run up to Grimmjow's reiatsu and decided to stab up the terrain attempting to hit Grimmjow. Only to discover that he was not able to pull it down. He understood that Grimmjow had taken hold of it and was only able to say: "Oh hell".

Immediately after he was pulled up to the surface by the Sexta Espada who immediately tried to scratch him but between Dondochokka's bala, then Pesche's who jumped up from behind the Espada, who was distracted for enough time to allow Nekoru to turn his sword liquid and slip away from the grasp. Grimmjow, successfully scratching and kicking away Pesche against the Shinigami and the other Fraccion, charged up a Cero and shot it at the trio who managed to counter with a combination of their own Ceros and Nekoru's . Before he could react though a fourth Bala, crimson in color was shot toward the stronger Arrancar. As everyone had a moment to react who was the one who had shot that Bala from out the sand two long chains with spiked balls at the end came out the sand, Grimmjow parried the first, but Nekoru, exploiting the opening to hit Grimmjow with acid ink in the eyes, allowed the second zanpakuto to strike and due to the slick still on his paws making the Espada fly away a bit. From the sand a new figure jumped up, much to everybody's surprise. It was a small redhead Arrancar with the bone cheeks as remains of the mask and little cute dress. Her eyes were serious, as the ones of an angry child, but her pose and stance could remind the movements of a predatory reptile

"You meanie – Marina said with an hint of a growl and her childish voice – let my friends go, or I am gonna be angry"

She then turned at the two Arrancars and smiled widely at them, yelling: "DONDOCHAKKA! PESCHE!..."

She then looked at Nekoru and raised an innocent brow, for it was the first time she had ever seen not only him, but one looking like him. Due to Mendocera forcing her to live in Hueco Mundo for all this time, she had never seen any of them. Mendocera had once simply explained her that a Shinigami is 'not an hollow, therefore you can eat him'. From the smell she could feel, Nekoru was not an hollow, therefore she called him.

"BREAKFAST! YAY!", Marina yelled in joy, as Nekoru just blinked nervously

"Wait… what?", he asked with his eyes twitching to which Marina nodded happily and licked her lips.

She then turned at Grimmjow, who had gotten up uninjured by her attacks, and returned serious: "Haven't you heard Meido-chan? We hollow should help each other to create an hollow utopia against all the rest. It is what hollowity is about. And Meido-chan talks a lot. TOO MUCH!"

At this actually Nekoru raised a brow and noticed all the things she had said.

_Hollow utopia? Hollowity? Those words reminds me of …_, he thought as his zanpakuto cut him off

Yep, no doubt, those are Mendocera's weird speeches, it must be the daughter he always talks about - the blade confirmed, making Nekoru nod – I still remind you he said she is a bit voracious, so beware

Grimmjow just laughed at Marina's speech and replied: "Reminds me of that obnoxious batshit insane Fraccion of the ol' fart. No matter ya are a child, I'mma beat ya up too"

Marina snarled at this. How did that Espada dare not to admit she was cute? Plus he wanted to beat her up and her friends. And even worse he was much stronger than her, she could feel it. When she looked at his eyes, she felt overwhelmed by his bloodlust. She felt forced to do a thing she somehow knew how to do, even despite she had never done before. Merge with her zanpakuto.

"DIGEST, DIVORATRIZ! YAY!", the small Arrancar said swinging in circles her zanpakuto. The chains wrapped around her, forming from behind her two long lizard like tails, and from her back spouted the skeleton of a giant lizard with eight legs. Her dress extended both down to cover the skeleton and even upward forming a large hoodie which covered her hollow mask, now complete with teeth and tongue, only the eyes missing from the horned lizard like monstrosity, and floating in the air, connected only by the spine. Marina's face was slightly hidden by the hoodie, but now was that of a fully cutie kid, which made her transformation slightly more disturbing, especially considering she had grown 10 feet tall in total.

"Ain't I cute?", Marina asked Grimmjow, resurrecting from the first time

"Ew, ya are a lil freak!", The blue haired Arrancar stated aiming a Bala at her, only to have Marina's mask eat it and spit it back to him, though he easily parried it. Nekoru attempted to strike him with a tail whip, but Grimmjow sonidoed away and kicked him in the back further wounding his back but before he could impale him Pesche and Dondachokka made a combined sword, mace attack to parry the the thrust of the claws and a sonidoing Marina, who had grown faster thanks to the major number of legs, managed to knock the Espada back, even thought the damages were minimal to the Espada.

Promplty as Grimmjow backed away, Nekoru created a series of darts to further wound him, finally succeeding in lightly scratching his armor with such a move, but was met with the Garra de la Pantera, but as soon as Pesche noticed this he used his infinite slick to make the bullets harmless and grabbing them. As Dondochakka, now riding Marina's released form, started to make against Grimmjow a speed and strength assault, Nekoru created other darts out of Grimmjow at first useless one, finally making the Arrancar's back bleed and then Marina's Cero further opened the wound, making the Espada roll away from the dune.

He narrowed his eyes in rage at this. How could he start losing to those freaks? He had been defeated in a worth battle by Kurosaki Ichigo, and even despite Nnoitra's treacherous attack, he had managed to survive, though at first not able to fight. Luckily he had managed to feast on the reiatsu left on the corpse both of Nnoitra himself, ironically enough, and his fraccion just as he had left, but still too weak to resume his match against the Shinigami he hated so much. In the end he was forced to escape from las Noches and was slowly, even despite the injuries, getting back his power, hollow after hollow. He was to return strong, he was to fight against Ichigo again and this time to finally kill him for his dare to wound him back in his first fight. He was not like the other Arrancar, just trying to feed off Aizen's reign. No, he was more ambitious. He wanted an higher rank, he wanted more power, he wanted to replace Aizen one day. Already getting defeated by a15 years old was humiliating enough, but that now even a much of weaklings were getting through him due to their teamwork was… ridiculous.

Roaring in rage, he rushed against his enemies and managed with impressive speed to get from them all a taste of blood: the Shinigami was scratched in the face, then Pesche's face met first his foot, lightly cracking the mask, then grabbing Marina's tail violently slammed Dondochakka against the sand and then threw Marina's thick bone mask against him, furthering wounding the duo with a Bala.

"Ya know, ya got me very mad, bastards. I'mma tear ya'll to pieces", he stated by summoning his strongest attack, Desgarrón, making his claws glow and with a slashing motion creating giant "claws" of solidified energy from the end of each finger. Nekoru's eyes widened at the high level of reiatsu coming out of those attacks, and the warning of his zanpakuto did not help

Rest in Peace, man!, were his solemn words, as he saw literally no way out of Grimmjow's final attack, and both the Fraccion and himself were exchanging sorrowful looks for having dragged each other down to this hell, to which none of them had already gone unscratched. Only the small child was happily smiling at the situation, even though her mask was slightly broken, having lost four out of her five left horns.

"I'm still the Sexta Espada, fuckers. Ya were no match for me", Grimmjow stated, only to have Marina raise her hand.

"But we too are six, meanie! We are even", she said in triumph, sticking her tongue. Everyone else was just as dumbfounded by what she said for a second, at first thinking she did not know how to count, which was plausible.

"Nel-chan wanted to make a surprise, but she told me to release to warn her if I needed help!", she explained with a wink at the two Fracciones, who partially understood what she meant, but were not able to grasp the grandness of the news. The same could be said for Grimmjow, who, not giving a damn about the child's nonsense, decided to end it there and to move his Desgarròn to conclude soon that insult of a match. As soon as he was rushing, from the air Bawawa lowered down to land and running up was the child like Nelliel, with a cold and prompt determination, ready to join the fray.

"Nel-san!", The two Fracciones said, worried about their little friend's safety and were about to tell her to run away as soon as they could but a spectacle befell before their eyes, as the small child in a flash turned to her adult form of Nelliel, her zanpakuto drawn. Marina cheered alongside Dondochakka and Pesche

"NELLIEL-SAMA!", they all happily said, the two Fraccion with shiny eyes.

"Friend, we won!", Pesche said with a happy thumb up to Nekoru, who was partially relieved

"And then I will eat you YAY!", Marina said, making Nekoru turn anxious, and even more when he noticed on Nelliel's back the tattoo of Tercera, as she rushed to block Grimmjow's attack and knocking him back due to the surprise.

_What the hell did I saw? From sucker to bitch in five seconds?_, the Espada thought as he swung again his claws against Nelliel.

"Now I remember ya, bitch. I thought Nnoitra had offed ya with the latest fight. Finally a decent fight", the Espada said to the woman, who did not reply but just blocked the attacks in a fury of slashes and trusts. Due to the closed range fight, both the opponents seemed evenly matched, with little to no movement.

"So I guess those wimps are yer Fraccion, right? Well, after I am gonna deal with ya, they are the next snacks!", The panther-like hollow replied grinning wildly attempting to gain another answer from the Espada, but to no avail. The cold and silent opponent truly was not his kind of enemy. He'd rather have fought someone brash and loud, or who went with lengthy monologues of nonsense… but that silent woman…..

"WHAT THE HELL, WOMAN! ANSWER", The Espada growled apparently gaining the upper hand by making Nelliel back a bit. Finally the former Espada, looking straight into her eyes with her piercing stare replied.

"Grimmjow, I remember you are no better than Nnoitra when it came to fights – she replied with a cold and deathly stare - You should know a thing. My Fraccion are more than enough to deal with you"

With this charging her blade with her reiatsu, managed to slice through Grimmjow's attack, leaving him with no weapon. Immediately, leaving him no time for reaction she jumped away, revealing Grimmjow a unique spectacle: Pesche on the top of Dondochokka riding Marina, the three of them charging at first their individual Ceros, who then started merging with a gigantic attack

"Hasta La Vista Kitty - Pesche said with a triumphant tone –Perfecto Cero Sircretico"

And at this the sphere was charged. Before Grimmjow could try to sonido away from the attack, a second voice from the Shinigami came, proclaiming: "Explodens Encautri Bullae"

And so the four ink bubbles who had been lurking under the sand of the dune where the huge fight had been ongoing rose from the sand to encircle the Espada in an explosion of reiatsu, sand and ink. While they barely harmed the Espada, they made him lower his guard just in time to be invested by the beast of energy which was the Perfecto Cero Sircretico, who made him let out a mix of a roar and a scream of pain and agony just before he was engulfed in what Nekoru could define as the biggest explosion he had ever seen yet.

After the huge cloud of dust faded, Nekoru checked the reiatsu on the area.

_I can't feel Grimmjow's reiatsu anymore. Either he died or he was thrown afar from the attack. Both cases, he is in no condition to fight anymore… and so am I_, Nekoru said as he was about to collapse

Are you sure we are not going to fight now the Tercera? You know, I'd not be surprised, the zanpakuto said nervously, transmitting the anxiety to Nekoru, who looked at Nelliel, who seemed to be facing him

"Uh… uh… Please ma'am. I yield, Don't wanna fight … we can nego..", the Shinigami weakly said, only to be cut off by Nelliel all of sudden speaking in a childish voice.

"DONDOCHAKKA! PESCHE!", She yelled happily and immediately she gave a huge glomps to the Fracciones, who nearly got their bones crushed by the strength of their mistress Espada. But they did not care. How much time had it passed? Too much since she had been turned into a child who held no memories of her life. But finally they were together again. Like friends. Like a family.

"We missed you Nelliel-sama, don't cha know", Dondochakka said between all the rivers of tears he was letting out.

"I could not even imagine in the sweetest of the dreams to see you again", Pesche said crying tears of happiness as well

"Me too, guys – Nelliel said keeping squeezing them tightly – Me too. I will have to change back to my Nel form to avoid dispending all the reiatsu though soon… but it feels good to hug you again with my old body"

"As long as you remember us is fine Nelliel-sama", they said laying their head on each of Nelliel's shoulder.

Nekoru, instead, now relaxed, looking serene at the scene, thinking a lot at the singular spectacles of hollows sharing a tender moment.

I can't believe Mendocera was right, Scripturae Musa mused.

_Apparently, he was half right at least. Arrancar seems to be much better than hollow are, if they are driven by the right emotion and find a way to fill their missing heart. Apparently, with Mendocera thinking of Marina… and these three. Apparently, it's loneness what makes them evil… but together they can find their hearts, _the young Shinigami said with unusually rhetorical and poetic words, shedding a light tear at the beauty of the scenario and the realization

* * *

"AWWWW! – Pesche said looking at Nekoru to Dondochakka, still being hugged – look at our friends getting moved to tears"

"What, it's because of us… Oh! I thought it was because of Marina was biting down his leg, don't cha know?", the other Fraccion answered looking at the small Arrancar who had returned into her normal form sinking her fangs into Nekoru's calf.

"Oh yeah… maybe it's because of this", the thin Arrancar replied with a thoughtful nod.

After a brief silence, Nelliel too noticed it: "Oookay…. Shouldn't we… … help him?"

"We will – the two Fraccion said in a dramatic tone to deliver the final punchline – IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!"

TO BE CONTINUED….


	12. Weaving Together The Broken Heart

_ The reason why powerful people lives on is because they stop fighting. The one who fights just wants to die_

_- _ the late _Rotoga Marieron _

**Chapter 12: Weaving Together The Broken Heart **

* * *

Mendocera Estebanez, Cincuenta y Uno Arrancar, noble and proud Fraccion of Barragan Luiserbarn, Segunda Espada, and ambitious (some people would have said delusional though) dreamer of a wonderful utopia, was undergoing at the moment a slow breakdown. He had been taking tracks of most of the fights in Hueco Mundo, especially the ones of the Espada's, whose reiatsu was rather easy to point and feel. He was savoring the blood lust of the souls of the Shinigami who'd have falled in Las Noches. Such a repressed rage, mixed with his borderline obsessive racist hatred, had reached its peak at the death of Aarionero, the Novena Espada. Now he was simply craving to see Shinigami blood dirtying the walls of Las Noches… or at least, to feel it with his hands, tasting it, smelling it…

He had been wrong. So wrong. The Shinigami had ended up not only getting the upper hands during the fights, but the Espada were….

_It cannot be… absolutely …. Impossible. My Pesquisa…. Is….I mean, must be failing and faltering somehow… I swear… I am not feeling anymore the Octava's reiatsu… and, weird, the Septima must be outside my reach, because I don't feel his reiatsu either… the Sexta I am sure he must have somehow escaped… yeah, he must be escaped…. I am surely getting worse with my reception…. I am just feeling the Shinigami one… and too little the Arrancar one… Too used, I have been getting TOO much used to it… once the war is over… I will go under intense training with it, so much that I will be strong enough to feel the reiatsu of…. Of…. Yammy's dog. Yes, Not even an ant will escape me…._, the Arrancar was thinking nervously, his muscles tensed and him in a dark frenzy, his hands over his head and his zanpakuto tied to his back. All of sudden though he felt a familiar reiatsu, which slightly worried him and his deep denial. He turned lightly at him with a nice smirk at the newcomer. He was light to feel a new company.

"My my, isn't what stands before me the greatest beauty of all Hueco Mundo I have ever set put my eyes upon?", Mendocera said with a stealth insult to his companion Fraccion, because of his blindness. Luckily enough, Charlotte Chuhlhourne was not very bright and took the compliment genuinely, smiling as brightly as he could. That Arrancar always believed to be some special feminine beauty. Such a statement was…. rather debatable, as he was a rather large, bulky and muscular Arrancar, He has long wavy purple hair, large glossy lips, icy blue eyes, and curly long eyelashes, his outfit customized with feminine motifs, and a small tiara with horns as a mask.

"Nice you recognize me, Mendocera - Charlotte said to his fellow Fraccion, lightly cocking his head to the side noticing his distress – are you feeling nervous? Is it anything my beauty can resolve?"

Mendocera just let out his large grin, but promptly shook his head bitterly, with a simple and blunt reply, his face turned at a window of Hueco Mundo, as he could feel a light breeze: "Not this time, Charlotte… I am simply… confused … you know… at what is happening… plus, you are soon going to leave to protect our glorious leader, God King of Hueco Mundo Lord Barragan Luisebarn, in Karakura Town, where you will endure the final duel with the race we are going to have against our archenemy, the Shinigami race, especially the utmost scorned among their ranks, the so called captains"

At this Mendocera placed his hands against the wall and trembling madly at the thought of this as he continued with a creepier and wider smile: "Do you know how long have I been longing this? To see that pathetically arrogant kin finally extirpated from the face of the Earth, to finally taste their blood with my Arrancar body, otherwise so imperfect and rich of fallacies compared to my nobler previous one as an Adjuchas…. Not to be struck in a place where I have simply to protect a fortress. I consider myself… a hollow of action…"

The other Fraccion made an hesitant nod at this, with a nervous laughter as he replied: "I have known you almost spoke back to Lord Barragan previously, you should be a bit less…. Loud when stating your thoughts … he is not going to take another attempted insubordination as lightly"

At this the stare of Mendocera hardened before he let out a bitter sigh and a nod at Charlotte's reasonable suggestion and confirmed it: "You are right, I confirm it. I nearly saw all my life passing before my eyes… kind of. I should improve a bit my Hierro… I have refined all my Arrancar skills but that one"

"But that's not the topic we had been discussing over – he continued turning at Charlotte – you see… Charlotte… do you have a dream… something you are fighting for?"

"Of course I do - he Fraccion blurted out proudly – I wish to find among all those Shinigami, a great opponent to clash my blade with. One worth both my blade… and my beauty. Isn't it a noble goal? And what about your own?"

Mendocera was actually… quite disappointed by how his fellow Fraccion's had replied, so he explained his own in contrast: "I am attempting to make a better world…"

"And lemme guess… is there one of the girl of Harribel's behind this?", Charlotte asked with a coy smile, making Mendocera blink surprised at such a question. How had he guessed about Marina? The question popped in immediately, much to the Fraccion's surprise.

"Don't worry – Charlotte continued – I won't tell Mila Rose about this"

Apparently, he had not, as simple as that.

At this Mendocera scratched his head confused in puzzlement as he repeated just the name: "Mila Rose? What does Franceska has to do with this?"

"Awww, come on, it's obvious! You did touch her…", Charlotte said coyly with an hint of teasing, only for Mendocera to cut him off upset.

"Face – he replied bluntly – What I wanted to touch was her face. Also, I'd like not to mistake my motivation for lust or love… such emotion make me squirm in repulse… they are too human… and I am an hollow, superior to such emotion. I have read of those human squirm for the attraction for their so called soul mate, I find them… ridiculous. They lack chemistry and any gain for bonding, most of the times…. The person I fight for is not Mila, but Marina, of course"

Charlotte snapped his fingers nodding in realize: "Ah, of course, the small child who snuggles up either to you or to Harribel… and then… what do you see in her if it's not love?"

"Easy… Usefulness. She is going to help me spread my hollowity through all Hueco Mundo once the Winter Wars is over. I already planned this. Once we will have crushed all the Shinigami, we will pass to Aizen and his cohorts, and will finally consolidate the rule of Las Noches all over Hueco Mundo and the other conquered worlds … I will influence all the worlds through my ideals… and finally create a perfect world… then I will spend the rest of my life by reading as many books as I can. Simple uh?"

Charlotte winced a bit at Mendocera's dream. It looked… insane, to say the least. He did not want to comment though. He simply did not consider it worth enough his attention. To be honest, he barely considered it plausible. Therefore he did the best thing he could come up with… a shrug

"Most hollows I know do not have…. This goal. They are more similar to mine… - Charlotte finally stated, to which Mendocera let out his usual grin at hearing this, letting him continue – still, cool you like that child. I admit she is rather cute when she makes her puppy eyes. I guess she is proud you are protecting Las Noches, so she is with you as well"

At this Mendocera slightly widened his eyes in surprise, but made a nod… which actually pumped him up a bit, to the point of asking him: "So…. If you have come here, I guess you are going to give me a message by Lord Barragan, right? Is he leaving?"

"Exactly…. Sorry to have divulged, but it's nice to talk to somebody recognizing the beauty of my body – Charlotte said with a pirouette – the message of Lord Barragan is still rather simple though: 'Estebanez, don't dare to fail me'"

"Wonderful - Mendocera said crossing his arm with a dream – I feared he was going to leave me a riddle filled cryptic message. It's nice to have such a straightforward God King… unlike the Shinigami who believes to be leading us in delusions of grandeur. My greetings, Charlotte"

As Charlotte greeted him back to dismiss him, Mendocera thought of a random sentence of his.

_'I guess she is proud you are protecting Las Noches, so she is with you'_

_He is right. Between these reiatsu disappearing in my mind and the fact my job is to keep track of what happens in Las Noches... No doubt, I have to take Marina back from the Menos Forest, now that the conflict is shifting away… even though the top Espada might have left there is no chance for the Shinigami to take over Las Noches… But now… time to track down Raul and Durante and get Marina back from them… she is going to see the victory over Shinigami race with her very eyes_, the Fraccion thought sonidoing at great speeds in the direction he felt the reiatsu of the Numeros… even though it did just make him wonder how then he could feel the reiatsu of the other Espada.

After all, there was no absolutely way individuals as strong as the Espada could have died…

Right?

* * *

As they had promised, the former Tercera, Nelliel Tu, now back to her child form dubbed 'Nel', and her Fraccion, helped Nekoru getting Marina's jaws off his calf, even though she was trying to eat him even further. And she had even managed to leave a nasty wound. She had really tried to tear off him a large chunk of his flesh. By far one of the worst wounds he had received in Hueco Mundo, along the stab on the side by Gin, Mendocera's strangling and Grimmjow's punches. At least Marina was now held by Dondochakka

_Had I not been healed … god, I'd have died of blood losses… something I should not rule out right now…_

"Ehi Dondochakka, Pesche… sorry to bother you… but I think that I need some other of that magical elixir", he asked rubbing his wound clenching his teeth. The two Arrancars looked at each other raising a brow.

"Magic Elixir? What does he…", Pesche asked before being cut off by Dondochakka who snapped his fingers in realize.

"He must mean what we used to heal him, don't cha know?", the larger Fraccion said, now looking at Nel and muttering something to her.

"Lay Down, pal – Dondochakka said waving at him, still holding Marina, drooling at the prospect to be able to take another bite at Nekoru – we are going to give you the… 'elixir'!"

As Nekoru obliged, even though was wondering why he had said the word 'elixir' with such a weird tone, not noticing the small Nel walking up to him, opening widely her mouth and…

SPLASH!

"OH GOD! – Nekoru yelled in horror as he was covered by a traslucid liquid in the face, but rather dense – THAT'S …. THE MAGIC ELIXIR"

When the two Fraccion nodded, the young Shinigami made a suitably disgusted expression at just thinking he had been treated this way

Remember that… if you need to commit Senpukku after this… I will always be with you, Nekoru's blade stated, to which Nekoru nodded.

_Thank you Scripturae Musa…, it's nice to know somebody is so friendly to me_, Nekoru said with a deadpan tone as he just sighed. At least he could feel himself better as the other Arrancar were relaxing as well…

"You know, you have been kind to be a Tsynigami", Nel said. Marina, still being held by Dondochakka tilted her head puzzled.

"Is he a Meanie Yummy?", she asked with her innocent smile, licking her lips, wondering how a shinigami would taste. Dondochakka and Pesche widened their eyes and looked at Nekoru scared.

"You? A Shinigami? ARGH!"; they said, Dondochakka jumping up to the smaller Fraccion and Bawabawa following them scared, much to Nel's and Nekoru's sweatdropping. But the Shinigami was more worried than ever. He wished not to fight now. Healed or not, he was feeling too much stressed by the intense fighting.

"Uhhh… more or less… but have a power similar to Marina's transformation", he said with a smile, getting an idea to get their trust back.

We do?, the zanpakuto wondered puzzled.

_Oh yeah, you forgot?_, the younger Shinigami thought with a smirk looking at one of the gadget he was allowed to keep back to Urahara's shop, alongside the Anti-Hierro weapon.

"Oh really", they said with a suspicious face. Nekoru did not reply and just got ready, pressing something hidden in his wrist.

A puff of smoke appeared and covered Nekoru. As he stepped out, he was wearing a new suit. His eyes were covered by a mask with opened in an upside triangle, revealing his nose and mouth. Atop his head he had a basque hat. Under his shinigami Kimono, he had a new jumpsuit white-colored with an intricate motive, at his chest his flower symbol with a "K" letter evidenced

"For Love, For Peace, For Justice – Nekoru said with a overdramatic voice brandishing his paint brush as a sword – I shall bring my firm hand to write the new destiny for the world! "

He then said triumphally his name: "KARAKURA RAIZER –WRITER!"

There was even a long awkward silence.

Even from the zanpakuto.

Then the two Fraccion just clapped in an outstanding ovation, cheering, even Marina joined them with a loud 'YAY' and Bawabawa's loud verse. As Nekoru kept entertaining the duo, Nel looked around confused, as she did not see Marina and did not wish her to try to eat their helpers again. Instead, Marina was again attempting to bury her head in Nel's chest. Unsuccessfully, due to Nel's current child form, which made put on a comical pout.

"No boobies?", Marina asked confused and a bit sadness. Nel just cocked her head to the side in confusion at the smaller child's weird behavior. Just why was she acting like this again?

"Mawina… why awe you obshesshed with boobies?", she finally asked aloud, to which Marina looked up.

"They are comfy and nice pillow – Marina said with her catlike smile, all of sudden turning sad – and…. Mommy…"

"Mommy?", Nel repeated. Marina, unlike her usual chatty behavior, she just shut up and bowed her head, hiding her face. She held her chest, especially the area where her hollow hole was. It was that the wound which had broken her soul.

Marina was nothing when she died. She had not even a year. She was a toddler. Her memories and eyes were foggy. She remember only a few things. Her mother… she had a comfortable bosom… and Marina loved her. Then sounds of ….. explosion, screams, shot. All of sudden she was not anymore with her mother. She missed her… hunger, desire of destruction, rage… SHE WANTED HER MOMMY BACK. And then her new daddy… Mendocera

_Meido-chan told me he'd bring me to mommy_ – Marina thought – _why is he taking so long?_

Nel managed to lightly comfort her friend by hugging her, even though in her child form. Marina let out a bitter smile at this, but still it was clear she was not going to feel better for a while

"At least Meido-chan is a good daddy - she said to Nel, drawing a bit Nekoru's attention – he is goodie and kind, he'd not harm a fly"

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'YOU MISS HER'?", Mendocera yelled at Durante and Raul, slamming them against the wall holding them both by their throat. Those two Numeros had done the crime of not caring enough for his child. They DESERVED to be punished. The black orbs he had for eyes were budging with rage.

"I HAD GIVEN YOU A SMALL TASK. SHE IS NOT A SHINIGAMI. SHE IS NOT EVEN LOUD OR BIG AS YAMMY RAILGO - he stated slowly turning - what did she do of so wrong to you?"

"That girl bit my head four times….", Durante said

"And she drooled on my mask", Raul intervened.

Both of them were slammed against the wall for their idiocy.

"Come on, have you seen her? She is just thirty. She is a child! She does it all the time. She once ate  
Abirama Redder's jacket because it had a nice scent. I was told he has been walking all over Las Noches shirtless since… - Mendocera ranted for a second – it's not like you are special to her"

"But…" Raul said, to which they were slammed.

"At least had you had some problems with Harribel… I'd have understood. She does not like me much, and I would see why she would not let Marina hang around with you incompetents, but had you called me, I'd have talked to her… but you ... you lost her…", he said tightening the grip on their necks.

"She shot a Cero at us", Durante justified himself, only to be cut off by Mendocera

"Deflect it, idiot! The both of you freaked out for the attack of an Arrancar child?" were the words of the Fraccion, which froze the duo of Arrancar. Mendocera just bit his lips.

"But don't worry – he said with a sigh dropping them both – I hold nothing against you for having lost my only dear child…. Idiots…. It's my fault!"

Mendocera crossed his arms nervously at this. His duty was to survey Las Noches…. But he had to get back to find Marina

Closing his eyes he muttered: _Oh Hollowity, give me a sign!_

It was then he felt a powerful reiatsu filling his soul with despair. He craved it deeply. It made him feel like when he was protected by thousands of small pieces of hollow-like bones as armor. Yes, it was feeling wonderful despair he could easily recognize belonging to Ulquiorra's reiatsu. He could not believe it almost, it even seemed bigger than ever.

_My my Lord Ulquiorra, you released? With such a reiatsu…. There is no way Las Noches will be taken over by such a pesky squad of foolish Shinigami. After all, we fight for a good cause: Hollow good, Shinigami evil, as simple as that_, Mendocera thought chuckling in an high pitch which crept out the duo of unfortunate Numeros.

"Gentlemen, you should thank that I am against killing hollows – Mendocera said smirking wider than usual, but with a somewhat cold tone and a light hiss – for I am letting you do now whatever you wish… I will go to take Marina! Just don't screw up anything, okay?"

At this Mendocera sonidoed away. Nothing could have gone wrong now. First he'd have taken Marina, then he'd have her eat Shinigami corpses for dinner

Durante and Raul instead took the right decision to avoid any other trouble and fled Las Noches. After all, how could they screw up anything in a place they weren't? After all, they did not even like Aizen, so why still helping him?

They'd have discovered it was a good choice.

* * *

"Listen Nekoru, can you make us similar outfits? You know, we too usually to with Nel these kind of stuff and poses, don't cha know? – the larger Fraccion said with goggled eyes but was interrupted by the wailing of Bawabawa, again forgotten from the scheme – oh yeah, and he as well"

"Well, I have to ask, but it's not going to be easier, I need to ask to man who'll humiliate me… and I am going to need your size of clothing… I mean, Dondochakka you are like eight feet tall"

"Ladies don't mind, don't cha know?", Dondochakka joked, to which Nekoru sweatdropped

"I will see what I can do within my powers", the Shinigami stated maintaining a straight face, but his dialogue with his zanpakuto was suggesting otherwise.

_Although it's not like we can do much_

Just point me toward a wall of the Urahara shop and let's use it as a blackmail 

_We'll die after that right?_

Hell yeah, man.

At this Nekoru shook his head and decided to move his attention somewhere else, his stare fell on Marina looking a bit sad, kneeling before her he waved at her, receiving in response an hungry look as the small Arrancar licked her lips. Nel drew a sigh of relief at not being alone with Marina anymore. Sure, it was fun to have her around, but could be quite an handful as well. Especially now her body was still that of a child

"Ehi little one, a question…. Do you know Mendocera?", Nekoru asked her.

Marina looked at him confused, as if confused by the name but she smiled as she made the connection and reply: "Oh oh ooooh! You mean Meido-chan, Breakfast? People always mistake his name! Course I do know Meido-chan. I know everybody. I am the baby! YAY!"

Nekoru blinked at how she had pronounced the Fraccion's name, but nodded. In the meanwhile, Nel and her Fraccion had resumed talking to each other again, remembering their old times.

"Is he your dad, right? – the Shinigami continued questioning her – and how is he?"

Marina clapped at this saying: "I know the answer YAY! Meido-chan is my daddy, therefore, yes, Meido-chan is cool. I mean, he always talk to a grumpy old man on a thone, and this is indeed quite cool. Then there is one stronger, and one even stronger and then one ever stronger… and then there is me. YAY! I want to eat the man with the funny hair"

"Oookay, now please, let's continue to talk about Meido-chan", the Shinigami stated cutting her off.

"He has those cool things who covers his eyes, which makes him look even cooler, and he's already cool, then he makes long monologues. They are nice and always makes me get to sleep. Then he has a cool smile and also he is…", Marina said, only for Nekoru understanding what she was going to mean and widening his eyes

"right behind me, right?", he asked without even looking back as he casted a kido to avoid Mendocera's bala.

"YAY! isn't he cool? - Marina asked then run up to her father with a loud – MEIDO-chan! I was looking for you… but Las Noches was too far"

At this she made two jumps. One past Nekoru, who turned around and jumped back, and the other making her land over her father's head, which let out his usual smirk at this, then looked at the Shinigami with sadistic glee, as if ready to taste his blood

"Buddy? – he said in an angry tone, clenching his fist – what were you doing with my daughter?"

Before Nekoru could answer, the Fraccion cut him off with a: "Shut up! I know you were attempting to purify her, I understood it. Even though I told you not to do it… and … I let you live. Thanks for repaying me with this"

"Mendocera, I…", Nekoru said, but Mendocera slashed at him forcing him to jump away from the reach of the large mix of a zanbato and a tuning fork then trying to counter him with a Sho which only made Mendocera slightly wince.

"How are you Meido-chan", Marina asked still holding on his shoulder, making Mendocera reply as he placed his hands together and was forming his Cero

"Fine, now that you are with me, Marina", he said as he made split his Cero into each of his fingertips, sending all of the ten blast against the Shinigami in a parabolic trajectory. This was his unique kind of Cero: Cero Diez.

As Nekoru kept dodging all the smaller Ceroes blasts Marina kept talking to her father: "Meido chan a question? Is Breakfast enemy or friend? And can I eat him?"

"Marina – Mendocera said as he caught up to Nekoru and threw a punch parried by the Anti-Hierro armor – To be fair, I have not decided on either, Marina"

"Awww AAAAAAAAAAAH"; Marina said as Mendocera was tricked and made slip into ink again.

"Sorry Marina I…", Mendocera said but was stopped by two other zanpakuto. One a small and light one, the other surpassing Mendocera's in size.

"STOP IT!", the two Fraccion said, recognizing the Arrancar as one of the most talkative Fraccion they had even seen, always speaking about hollow superiority.

"You kept interrupting that Shinigami. It's not…"; Pesche said only to his companion to cut it off

"…educate, don't cha know?", the larger Arrancar said. Mendocera just looked confused at the two, blinking in utter disbelief. The moment before he could speak were a bit of tension.

"Dondochakka and Pesche? I thought you had died", he said, willfully ignoring all the nonsense about politeness and Shinigami, which the two Fracciones acknowledged with a sweatdrop.

"We went damn close, Mendocera"; Pesche said rubbing his head nervously at the sudden change of the Arrancar's mood, which even words as bipolar seemed an euphemism to describe it

"I always played with them! YAY!"; Marina added with a smile over Mendocera's head childishly flailing her arms.

"Oh – Mendocera said touching their faces, noticing how much they had physically changed – I see… You disguised yourself to avoid being tracked down. Clever of you… and I feel even Neliel-sama's reiatsu… she is showing a lot of control as I'd say her reiatsu is quite low right now… Where is she?"

At this question, Mendocera was knocked off his feet by a sudden and powerful blow aimed by his stomach, though Marina jumped away so she was intact.

"Stop beathing awound the bwush, Mendothewa!", Nel said angrily, upset at how he was treating Nekoru, who was helped up by her Fraccion, and how ignored the people defending him switching topic on purpose. Mendocera just tried to see how the former Tercera had disguised herself. He was surprised to just feel air as he aimed the hand where Nelliel's face, who was two inches taller than him, should have been. In the end he was forced to kneel to finally feel Nelliel's visage.

"Nelliel-sama… have you shrunken?", Mendocera asked puzzled to which Marina cut in with another of her loud cheers

"I had said Hueco Mundo had gotten smaller. I was right! YAY!", the child had said, letting her father keep a straight face and a nod.

"Thanks for the callback, Marina - he said with a flat tone before turning to Nelliel and her Fracciones, flashing his usual sadistic grin and bared fangs – Now, thanks you all for the support, but I have a personal score to settle with the Shinigami your Fracciones are holding. As an enemy of Las Noches and our kin, dealing with him is a priority for the superiority of the Espada"

He was thinking they would have fallen for it, but Nel, despite her childish form, managed to block him with another headbutt at the stomach, while the other two arrancars looked at him warily.

"Uh… Mendocera, don't cha know this guy helped us?", Dondochakka said glaring at him. The long haired Arrancar winded in surprise at knowing this and was about to ask what meant, but Nel continued.

"Yes, another Arrancar was trying to kill Dondochakka and Pesche, and he helped us all!", Nel said. Mendocera remained silent. But questioned a thing.

"Wait, did he kill an Arrancar?", he said looking at Nekoru in a bloody eye shot, but Marina's voice stopped him

"Breakfast even helped me. And gave me his leg to bite on. AND WAS YUMMY! YAY!", Marina said licking her lips, making Mendocera widen his eye in surprise.

"You… were so helpful… to so many Arrancar you had never met before?", He asked him, to which all the other Arrancar nodded.

"Why, buddy?", Mendocera said confused looking at Nekoru warily, his hands trembling. At least before Mendocera could use the excuse Nekoru was an hollow killer to torment him. Now that he had saved one… what could he do?

"Why, buddy – he repeated in surprise – why did you save them? You are a Shinigami… you should not end up protecting them…. WHY? WE ARE IN A WAR, damn it!"

Nekoru sighed deeply. He could not believe it… an opening. He finally could talk to him without Mendocera being able to fight back with violence in case he had another raptus of ire, thanks to the presence of a team which had helped defeated an Arrancar way superior to him

"I know…. We are, but it does not matter. If you want to know… I have not been the first to start this. I did it for a specific reason. Because they had helped me previously!", he said

Mendocera smirked at these sentences and replied: "Therefore as you see, Hollows truly are superior, as despite our grudged against you, hunter of our own noble kind, and you should be honored to be speaking to them"

God, such arrogance – Scripturae Musa stated in Nekoru's head – No wonder he is so stubborn in his insanity

Nekoru nodded, partially agreeing to what his zanpakuto stated, but netherlessly he could not state aloud these sentence, for it would have just made Mendocera snap more so he simply did the thing he could disarm his wit companions

"I agree. You hollows can be superiors to us Shinigami. Are you happy?", Nekoru stated placing his hands on his hips, looking at Mendocera, who was ready to reply.

"Indeed, I am buddy, were there more likes of you…. Among Shinigami, there would be less warfare among our respective kin… as long as you'd surrender you all", Mendocera stated with a grin, giving Nekoru one of the most twisted compliments he had ever received.

"And…. Were there more Arrancar like Dondochakka, Pesche, Nelliel, Marina…. Or even you, we Shinigami would have no reason to hunt your kin down", Nekoru replied, making the other Arrancar smile (even Marina, though was getting very little of the conversation), with the exception of Mendocera who was raising a brow

"Are you serious? - Mendocera said confused – most of the times, I was assaulted by Shinigami even while I was minding my businesses, There was one who even cut in half my books. I can remember him… that disgusting face. He had long black hair let loose, and a katana so decorated… ewww, he harassed me in Japan. I had fun… tearing him to shreds and eat what was left"

While Mendocera was letting out a grin followed by Marina's cheer, the Shinigami's visage noticeably paled as he head that description of the victim and recognized him. It was a blurred memory now, but those few traits… he backed for a second away from the Arrancar, leaving him confused. That blurred image, accompanied by a name

Ishiro…,, the zanpakuto muttered in sadness.

_He killed Ishiro…,_ Nekoru elaborated the thought. Sure, Nekoru had never met Ishiro except once. Still, that one time he had been…. Crucial. Without Ishiro, Nekoru would have been an hollow with no mind. Considering that he had either to become like a bloodthirsty warrior like Grimmjow or trapped in his insanity like Mendocera or Marina. How much was the luck to become like the other three Arrancar? Very little. Nekoru had never been one strong when it comes to socializing, therefore would have been loneliness and grief waiting for him

"Mendocera – Nekoru asked in a stance of panic – why did you kill Ishiro?"

Unfortunately the answer was a completely unsatisfying: "Who is this Ishiro?"

Nekoru just sighed and shook his head, realizing in horror that Mendocera could simply have no idea who this Ishiro was, and he might have been right when he had stated he had killed in self defence._ Yes, there is nothing but to do that_

"I forgive you", Nekoru stated with a deep sigh, only earning a weird look from everybody.

"What?", Mendocera stated narrowing his eyes.

"I forgive you for the death of the Shinigami you killed, and for all the times you nearly killed me. And for all the times you verbally abused me. I think I did deserve thing to get them, and I apologize… I hope you can forgive me as well - Nekoru said extending his hand then explaining to the blind Arrancar – I am giving you my hand… as a way to seal this deal with you"

Mendocera was visibly surprised at such reaction of the Shinigami, not being really able to reply at this. He blinked and looked at where he thought the hands should have been, only to be directed correctly by Pesche. Lifting his arm he extended his hand and grabbed Nekoru's. Nekoru lightly squeezed it, Mendocera was bugged and imitated him.

As they broke apart Mendocera looked at his shaken hand and smelt is, making a lightly repulsed expression.

"Smells like human" he snarked looking at him with a dull face, though placing his other hand on his heart. It was the same feeling when he had held and comforted Marina.

_Bitter tasting, but somehow bringing warmness? Am I feeling empathy toward a … Shinigami? Oh god what I am becoming?_, Mendocera was thinking, not changing expression whosoever in his coldness, struggling to mutter some words. He did not want to be kind to a Shinigami. But he had a debt with Nekoru and was going to settle it.

"Uh… I forgive you too… for having manipulated me into becoming your friend for over thirty years… and for …. All the things you did to me and my race…. And… I guess we are even now", the Arrancar said showing to posses rather awkward social skills able to make everyone but Marina sweatdrop.

Nekoru was the first to let it slide and replied a calm: "Thank you. I hope it might open a new future both for Hollows and Shinigami"

Mendocera finally cracked a smile. No, for once it was not a grin the one which was making to Nekoru, just a pure, simple smile.

"Maybe, for once, I might let you go", he replied as he took Marina in his arms and looked afar at Las Noches…. And all of sudden a gigantic red column appeared from Las Noches, blowing away most of the roof, letting Nekoru widen his eyes.

Mendocera at first let out a sadistic smirk at the prospect of the apparent victory of the Arrancar against the Shinigami at war. Nekoru instead was looking horrified, how many of his peers could have perished against such a blast. Had he been there, he might have been incinerated.

"Go", a voice broke the silence. Nekoru turned. It was Mendocera, weirdly enough.

"Support your kin. I would do the same, had the situation gone in a different direction", he said petting Marina with an apparent calm. Apparent being the key word. There was something which was lightly startling him.

_I do not recognize such reiatsu from any Arrancar…. No, maybe not even hollow. Might be an mistake of my increasingly unreliable Pesquisa, it surely is, it MUST be a mistake… But either way now the Shinigami are screwed. I can feel Yammy's reiatsu and all the whole army of Exquias. There is no way out for these foolish Shinigami to survive – _Mendocera was thinking, glancing for a second at Nekoru –_ Good luck at the hollowity approaching you, buddy. _

In the meanwhile, the Shinigami, dumbfounded by the sudden kindness,"Are you… sure?"

"Go before I change my mind… which is happening far too many times recently – Mendocera said as he was creating a Garganta – Luckily for you, we are not going to fight. Lord Barragan, the God King of Hueco Mundo and the one who shall overthrow Aizen in the end, wished me to report him what was happening if the duel was tipping on the side of either our side or yours. Be afraid buddy: we might be friend…. But we still are in a war"

Before opening the Garganta though, the Fraccion felt a small hand tugging his clothes, looking down at Marina he rolled his eyes and answered her untold question: "No, you can't eat him and yes, you can remain with Nelliel and your other friends"

Of course, Marina replied with a loud yell and with a jump landed over Dondochakka's head. She then waved her adoptive father alongside all the other Arrancars and Nekoru. Mendocera lightly nodded as he felt Nel's reiatsu giving a strange wave. He could recognize it, much to his dismay. It was disapproval. No wonder, Nelliel too had been aware of his theories, and, yes, she too had turned them down, mostly ecause she thought the theory was still somewhat undeveloped and not very well thought.

_It'll all be worth it. You'll see. All of you_, he thought, his visage visibly darkening as he stepped inside the crack of space time.

* * *

Nekoru, at first swayed by Mendocera leaving, was abruptly snapped back to reality as that immense hollow reiatsu seemed still not to have diminished. And still… Las Noches was so far.

"Uh…. And now how I can get there in no time…. my speed is …. Not enough. Do you have an idea of how can I get there?", the Shinigami asked, not really expecting an answer.

"What if we have an idea?", Pesche said with what seemed to be a smile looking at Dondochakka and little Nel, and all of them seemed to have a plan, much to Nekoru's dismay. He had no time to spend discussing and was ready for everything. Except the former Tercera Espada, her Fracciones and an Arrancar child using their combined might to toss far in the horizon just back at Las Noches.

* * *

In the meanwhile, in Las Noches, Mayuri was kept studying and observing this time the sky of Hueco Mundo, remaining amused by the uniqueness of the sky of Hueco Mundo and the way it mirrors the one in the living world.

Yet, there was something which was not looking right, Mayuri noticed. A luminous body apparently crushing down towards the planet an high speed.

"Weird – Mayuri mused mockingly, actually recognizing the twirling star – here in Hueco Mundo is raining a painter boy. Kukuku… exactly what I needed to further test my Garganta. Nemu, go and take him before it crashed violently"

At this the lieutenant obeyed with no hesitation and rushed and caught a swirly-eyed and very stunned Nekoru in her arms, who, after the moment of confusion, cursed to himself as he recognized the girl.

"Nemu … how glad that you are alive… How did you manage to survive?", Nekoru said with a sigh, to which the beautiful youth tilted her expressionless face in confusion.

"Because of … my captain? He wants you there", Nemu said, which made Nekoru sigh a lot, as if he had realized a sad truth, further humiliated by being carried around by the lieutenant like a ragdoll

_Sadly enough, individuals like Mayuri seems to get always away from anything_, he thought, saddened. That Hollow Cero was clearly a victory for the Arrancar.

You know, man, I kinda liked your hands, the zanpakuto stated, but this time Nekoru ignored him, no hint of nervousness nor fear as he was carried to Mayuri, bridal style.

_Who knew simply how many of them had died? After all, Kenpachi almost looked like to be looking for a duel to death, and Byakuya…. Well, maybe he had underestimated an opponent. Unohana was also likely to have spent too much time healing others and sacrificed his life, _He thought saddened as his mind conjured dark and soul breaking scenario of the deaths of the superiors he respected and had inwardly feared stupidly for so long.

But … there was something wrong, as he was noticing… first of all, the reiatsu of Shinigami. It was pretty much everywhere in the whole hollow fortress, which seemed wrong considering how huge that Cero was. Secondly… lack of bodies. There was no corpse belonging to any Shinigami, there was not even a leftover cloth And Nemu…. Was pretty much unscratched, and acting uncaring about the coming of any Arrancar. Somehow, he was quite… puzzled. Yet he had seen that Cero…. There was something iffy going on, and he had to discover it. Well, he was going to, as he was being led to Mayuri…

The mad scientist looked from the monitor of the laboratory of the former Octava Espada the two Shinigami, letting out a dark chuckle and immediately switched to serious as soon as the duo arrived to screw around with the younger Shinigami. Everything started as soon as his lieutenant dropped the other weaker Shinigami… on the rocky floor, making him yell a squeal of pain.

"Painter Boy, what the hell are you doing with Nemu? At least YOU should be one carrying her. Do the wrong right", the Captain ranted making the younger man squirm in fear. Nervous, fearful confused: this was the state of mind of Nekoru as he uttered the reply.

"I am sorry Mayuri-sama, I will do everything, just don't cut off my hands", Nekoru said waving his hands. This picked the madman's interest.

"Everything?", Mayuri repeated with a huge grin, getting exactly what he had been seeking for, to which the young Shinigami nodded upset, realizing what he had done.

_I should stop being so vague, right?_, the young Shinigami stated now on the verge of giving up. Why did he always end up in this situation? And so he simply tended his hands, fearing the moment the Captain was going to cut off his hands.

"It's nice of you, kukuku, but I need your hands… attached to your body, for once - the madman said with glee – you see, I have just invented a Garganta, and I have been sent some request by Unohana-san to bring some reinforcement to the Fake Karakura Town. After all, we conquered Las Noches, freed the lass with a minimal number of casualities.… everything is fine. So go now "

Nekoru raised a brow as he asked aloud: "We freed Orihime?"

"Have you been under a dune of Hueco Mundo for all this time?"; Mayuri asked raising a brow irritated, to which Nekoru decided not to answer that, yes, he had just done that for all the time. He nodded as the madman continued all of sudden. But he did not mind, who was somehow too much overjoyed to care for once

"While I keep going with my experiments and Byakuya-san and Kenpachi-san continue playing with their new toy and end their squabble, so I am forced to experiment if a Garganta can come up even against a low level shinigami. There should be no problem. Of course, I say **_should_**", he said to scare Nekoru, succeeding of course, to the point Nekoru actually had to ask for something else.

"Uh… Might I have an alternative at this?", Nekoru wondered aloud. The scientist snarled and actually …

"Yes", he confirmed it with nervousness at such a question. Before Nekoru could ask what he turned on large screen where there was a huge (at least half a kilometer) ape-like beast with a huge and elaborated mask framing his eyes … and captain Kenpachi and Byakuya fighting it

"You feel the hollow-like reiatsu surrounding this place? Well, it's his own", Mayuri continued with a large grin at seeing Nekoru's terrified expression

_Am I wrong or this reiatsu is higher than any other Arrancar we have seen so far?, _Nekoru asked in a deadpan at his own zanpakuto.

Hell yeah! Are we gonna fight it too? You know, to keep this gag running, Scripturae Musa deadpanned as well, to which Nekoru shake his head inwardly and turn at the Captain of the 12th division.

"So…. This Garganta…. Where to?", Nekoru asked the grinning Shinigami, with the petite lady at his side, who replied by opening the gate of the Garganta.

"See ya soon, Painter boy… if you survive", Mayuri laughed and sardonically waved at him flashing his best grin. Nekoru sighed and reached up the gate he had crossed previously. He felt something missing clearly being wrong with what he had seen. But why? If there was practically no causalities on his side.

It was right when he stepped his foot inside the Garganta who realized what it meant to him of so wrong.

_This means that the Arrancar must have been decimated… in this case…. Mendocera… oh god no… I am so sorry… _- Nekoru said to himself remembering his friend – _And now…. We will still be enemies_

* * *

In the meanwhile Marina was looking at Las Noches with eyes full of sadness, as if she was feeling something missing in her heart, in the process bringing her hand to the hole which encompassed most of her chest. Nel noticed it and bent to her

"Awe you okay, Mawina?", the green haired child asked to the redhead.

"I miss Aunt Harribel and Meido-chan. This thing with Meanie Yummies seems to be taking quite the tool to the both of them. I hate these fights… they seem bad and make me far from my parents… I want my mommy back", the child said wiping a tear on her cheek, keeping her pleas down her heart

_Meido-chan, Harribel… please come back, I don't want to miss my parents again…_

TO BE CONTINUED….


End file.
